Firwood High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 March 2023

Learning is exciting at Firwood School. Staff immerse pupils, and students in the sixth form, in learning experiences that they will remember. A winter wonderland at Christmas lets pupils enjoy snow and hot chocolate as they celebrate together. A summer festival welcomes new pupils to the school. Pupils enjoy an abundance of activities, including music, dance and singing. Pupils love their school. They feel happy and safe. They have strong, trusting relationships with the staff. They know staff have high expectations for their learning and behaviour. Pupils rise to meet these expectations. Pupils behave well and they are proud of their achievements. Being kind is a core value of the school. Pupils know what it means to be a good friend. They accept and respect each other's differences. Pupils work and play well together. It is rare for any name calling or bullying to happen. However, when it does, staff deal with it well. Staff use a range of resources and adaptations to their delivery of the curriculum to ensure every pupil is included and has the chance to achieve well. All pupils have a voice. They learn to communicate and express their emotions and opinions. Independence and preparing for adulthood are woven into every area of school life.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not decided which books will best support pupils at the early stages of reading. This means that teachers are sometimes using books that are not helping pupils to build on the letters and sounds they already know. Leaders should ensure they have appropriate reading books in school and train teachers to use the books to support pupils who are at the earlier stages of learning to read.

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