Mabel Prichard School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 February 2025

Pupils here have complex and significant needs, some with life-limiting conditions. They flourish because of the precise and expert support they receive from adults at the school. Throughout the school day, including social times, there are warm and trusting relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils' needs are known and well understood by staff. As pupils' needs are so individual, the high ambitions the school has for them are personalised. Consequently, pupils meet the school's expectations of how they will learn and behave well. By accessing a well-sequenced and ambitious communication curriculum, pupils become confident and independent communicators. They express their views and choices well through a range of low- and high-tech approaches and equipment. Pupils are able to inform adults about what they need. This helps pupils to stay regulated and calm. On rare occasions, pupils may become anxious or distressed. When this happens, they are supported skilfully by the staff that work with them. The school has made sure that all pupils access enriching and valuable experiences. An example of this is the well-matched and effective work placements the school has organised. This includes gaining valuable life and social skills experience, on site, in 'Rosie's Cafe'.

What the school should improve

• The school has not fully sequenced the curriculum in a small number of non-core subject areas. This means staff are not secure about what they are teaching in these areas, and pupils are not learning as well as they could through the entire curriculum. The school should make sure that in all subjects, there is a progression of knowledge sequenced towards ambitious end points and that staff have the training they need to ensure pupils build coherent knowledge effectively over time.

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