Blue Mountain Education

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 December 2024

Pupils are well cared for at Blue Mountain Education. Staff take time to get to know each pupil. They support pupils to develop their strengths and work with them to face the aspects of school life they find challenging. The school's core purpose is to put the needs of pupils first and help them to experience success. Typically, prior to joining the school, pupils have had a negative view of education. They will not have attended school for some time. Once at Blue Mountain, pupils are able to develop a 'can do' attitude to school and try hard. Their behaviour improves over time because they are given the help they need to manage their feelings. Pupils regard the school as a safe place. Their confidence and self-belief improve because they feel welcomed and accepted. The school has high expectations for pupils' academic achievement and social development. Its long-term goal is that pupils will leave the school well prepared for their future lives. Pupils gain important new knowledge and are supported well to understand that they need to consider others' viewpoints.

What the school should improve

• The school has not sufficiently promoted a love of reading. Pupils do not routinely have the opportunity to read from a range of high-quality texts and few pupils choose to read for their own enjoyment. The school should ensure that its work to engage pupils with reading and ensure that pupils can read well raises the profile of reading for pleasure across the school.
• Some pupils do not attend school often enough. They miss important learning, and this slows the school's capacity to fill gaps in their learning and help them to catch up. The school should ensure that those pupils who are frequently absent receive the support they need to be in school on every day possible.

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