Harbour Vale School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 April 2024

Relationships with staff, built on trust and respect, help pupils to gain the confidence, resilience and independence to succeed socially and emotionally. The school is a calm and safe space for pupils. Pupils who attend Harbour Vale School regularly are well-supported to recognise and manage their emotions. For example, counselling sessions enhance the school's social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) curriculum. The school's approach to behaviour management helps pupils and their parents to understand that staff care and want to support them. Pupils appreciate that staff listen to them and help them to prepare for their next steps. A new ambitious curriculum has raised expectations of what pupils can achieve academically. Pupils enjoy participating in a wide range of enrichment activities. For example, pupils make pottery, learn to sail and carry out 'random acts of kindness' in the local community. These experiences help pupils to understand their place in society and successfully work as part of a team. The occupational studies curriculum ensures pupils develop important life skills. Their achievements are recognised through national qualifications.

What the school should improve

• The school has recently revised its curriculum. Staff do not have a secure knowledge of the content and expectations of the new wider curriculum. The school needs to support staff to develop their knowledge of the revised wider curriculum to accurately identify and close gaps in pupils' knowledge.

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