Foreland Fields School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 May 2023

This is a happy place. Pupils are welcoming to visitors. They are proud of their school, their achievements, and their teachers. Friendships are strong, particularly between older pupils. Students in the sixth form are noticeably confident, benefiting from the school's caring culture and excellent provision to support their personal development. Pupils are kind and caring. Poor behaviour is rare. Relationships are respectful and positive. This includes between pupils themselves and especially in classrooms, where successes are celebrated triumphantly. Staff act as role models. They know pupils well. Children in the school's early years provision are also supported well. Staff are keenly aware of the additional anxieties created by the transition into a school setting for children with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. One noticeable feature of the school is the sense of consistency in approach from leaders and staff across the school and its three satellite sites. As a result, pupils feel safe and cared for. When asked what could be better in their school, most pupils struggled to think of anything. However, the lead inspector could hardly get a word in edgeways when pupils were asked what was great about Foreland Fields.

What the school should improve

• Not all staff are delivering the school's new phonics programme with complete fidelity. There is also an inconsistent approach in the way staff are using resources linked to the programme. This is particularly the case with some of the books that pupils are given to help develop their early reading skills. Leaders need to provide staff with additional resources linked to the programme They also need to provide additional training and support for staff so that all pupils benefit from a consistent approach to learning to read across all phases of the school.

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