INSPIRE Free Special School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 December 2023

All pupils at this school have social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and have often had a negative experience of school prior to joining INSPIRE. Staff work to build positive relationships with pupils and to help them feel welcome within the school community. When pupils first join, they often struggle to attend regularly and, when at school, to regulate their emotions. The school works carefully with each pupil, and their family, to challenge their negative views of school and to establish regular attendance. For most pupils, this work has a highly positive impact on their achievement and engagement with education. The school has established very clear expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand the systems in place, and how to access support when they need it. Over time, pupils learn to take ownership of their behaviour as they work towards their personalised 'social and independence' targets. Classrooms are generally settled and calm. Pupils are receptive to learning and recognise the value of the qualifications they are supported to achieve. They work hard to live up to the high expectations of the school. Pupils with autism, and/or other SEND, learn in a mixed-age class called 'The Meadows'. Like pupils across the school, pupils in 'The Meadows' are supported to form positive friendships. They have learned that they can be themselves at school and will be accepted by their peers.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, the small steps of learning from pupils' starting points to the curriculum's ambitious end points have not been considered carefully enough. Pupils are not learning as well in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that, across the curriculum, small steps of learning have been carefully considered, and it is clear how pupils' knowledge and understanding will build over time.
• The school has not coherently planned how they will develop pupils' spoken language over time to ensure that pupils are supported to broaden their vocabularies and develop their ability to discuss, debate and express themselves with increasing ease over time. Leaders need to develop this strand of the curriculum in English and across the curriculum.
• The attendance of some pupils remains too low. These pupils are not fully benefiting from the education that the school provides. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families to ensure that pupils attend school frequently. The school should ensure their analysis of attendance patterns extends over time so that they can build a full picture of any barriers to high attendance and strategically plan how these will be overcome.

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