Avocet House

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 November 2024

Avocet House is not just a school. It is a home and a family that transforms lives. Pupils join the school having suffered significant trauma and negative experiences of education. They quickly learn that the adults in the school and care home share the highest aspiration for every pupil. The school constructs individualised learning programmes that engage pupils' interests. Expert teachers provide learning experiences that reignite pupils' enthusiasm for learning. Pupils respond to the renewed belief that adults have in them. They work hard and, generally, learn well. Pupils behave well. They understand the high expectations that adults have. They benefit from the consistency of approach from all adults. They are polite and respectful. Pupils develop deep and meaningful friendships. They build positive and trusting relationships with staff. They are proud of their school. Pupils value the broad and varied opportunities to explore new interests. They enthusiastically take up activities such as powerboating or crewing on a tall ship. Many pupils enjoy the responsibilities they take on through work experience placements. They relish how these help develop their social and teamwork skills. They are proud to contribute to the wider community.

What the school should improve

• The school has not implemented a structured and rigorous programme to teach phonics to those pupils who need it. This means that the development of the fluency and confidence of the weakest readers is not as rapid as it should be. The school should ensure that there is a structured programme of phonics teaching that compliments the range of reading resources it uses.

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