Churchill Park Complex Needs School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 June 2026

All pupils at Churchill Park Academy have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and each has an education, health and care plan. Pupils love coming to school and attend well. There is a palpable sense of excitement as pupils skip off their buses and taxis. Staff are on the door to greet pupils with a warm welcome and a reassuring smile. This helps settle pupils into the start of a new day of learning and exploration. Pupils value the positive relationships with staff, who know them extremely well. This creates a safe and secure space for pupils to flourish. Pupils know they are cared for. They know there is a safe adult for them to talk to about worries or concerns. Pupils respond positively to their teachers’ aspirational goals. They engage in learning with enthusiasm. Staff support pupils highly effectively to overcome their challenges and barriers to learning. Consequently, pupils achieve well. They learn how to communicate their thoughts and emotions. Pupils develop a keenness for books, stories and poems. Where it is appropriate, pupils develop their reading knowledge and skill. Pupils behave well. Staff intervene quickly when pupils need support to manage their emotions. These interventions are sensitive and caring. They help pupils to re-establish their emotional balance and engage with learning. Pupils respect each other. They value each individual’s uniqueness. This means that unkind behaviour is rare. Pupils are well prepared for adulthood. They develop a sense of independence and resilience. They learn key skills such as money management and cooking. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, enjoy a range of life-defining experiences. Walks in the woods in the autumn or visits to the planetarium create a sense of awe and wonder about the world around them. Pupils enjoy eating fish and chips on the beach when they visit Hunstanton in the summer term. They enjoy the thrills and spills of the rides at the fair with their friends.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that they use the information from assessments to accurately identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and inform future teaching.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise to use their checks on pupils’ understanding to adapt their teaching to ensure that pupils access learning activities that support them to achieve as well as they could.
• Leaders should ensure that they use the information from quality assurance and monitoring activities to sharpen the focus of improvement strategies to secure improvement.

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