Huckleberry Therapeutic School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 February 2024

Every morning at Huckleberry begins with a warm welcome that helps pupils get off to a positive start to the day. Well-established routines support pupils to know what is expected and to feel safe and settled. Pupils enjoy being here and feel 'at home' and cared for. For many, this is the first time they have attended school regularly or engaged meaningfully with education. The school considers the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities very carefully. Staff are skilful at managing pupils' complex needs and related challenging behaviours. Pupils receive effective support to help them understand, process and express their emotions. Typically, the school is calm and orderly and there is minimal disruption to learning. Over time, the school's nurturing, therapeutic approach helps pupils to reconnect with education. This rekindles their curiosity and enjoyment of learning. Pupils develop confidence and renewed self-esteem. For some, this is a long process that takes time and patience. Pupils learn valuable life skills, such as how to purchase items in a shop and how to travel safely. They enjoy Friday assemblies, when their achievements are celebrated. Weekly visits to the Exceed Centre provide pupils with opportunities to engage in outdoor activities ranging from animal care to gardening.

What the school should improve

• There are very few opportunities for pupils to work independently or to apply their learning from adult-led teaching activities. Sometimes, staff step in very quickly to provide answers when pupils do not respond straight away or are finding something difficult. As a result, pupils are not embedding or deepening their learning as well as they could be, or developing resilience and independence when encountering new challenges. This also means that they are not prepared as well as they could be for the next stage of their education. The school needs to consider its teaching approaches in order to address this.
• The school currently provides few opportunities for pupils to mix socially with their peers, including through any extra-curricular activities. This limits pupils' social development and preparedness for the next stage of their education and further on into adulthood. The school should review and develop its current arrangements for this aspect of its personal development provision.

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