Cloughside College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Pupils enter the school at different times of the year. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They have mental health issues and are patients in hospital. Pupils develop nurturing and trusting relationships with staff, who help them to understand their emotions and anxieties. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe. The school, together with a team of health, medical and care professionals, provides wraparound care and support. This helps pupils to recover and to improve their confidence and their communication and interaction with others. The school has high expectations of pupils' achievements. It provides them with a personalised and flexible curriculum. Overall, pupils achieve well from their individual starting points. They are keen to learn and behave well in class. Pupils have rich opportunities to participate in a range of therapies and activities, such as yoga, art, cooking and photography. They know that their opinions matter and value the many opportunities to express themselves. Pupils show respect for differences between themselves and others. The school organises a range of trips and visits, including to art galleries, museums and a farm. Pupils enjoy participating in sports and enterprise activities. These opportunities help to reduce any stress or anxiety that pupils may have.

What the school should improve

• A small number of staff lack aspects of the subject knowledge required to deliver curriculum content well. This occasionally hinders how well some pupils achieve. The school should ensure that staff deliver all aspects of the curriculum well.

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