New Woodlands School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 December 2024

This is a school where pupils' social and emotional health is paramount. Everyone goes the extra mile to ensure that pupils get the most from school. Pupils value the help that they get from staff a great deal, especially in understanding how to regulate their behaviour. Highly positive relationships between staff and pupils add significantly to pupils' well-being. Pupils' behaviour across the school is strong. While some pupils struggle to maintain an even keel throughout the day, they know what to do to get back into the right frame of mind for learning. The school is especially successful in enabling pupils to get the most out of their lessons. However, the small number of pupils who are persistently absent from school do not benefit from the school's strong focus on developing social and emotional skills. The curriculum gives pupils a wide range of experiences and opportunities. This prepares them well for the next stage of their lives. The school's high expectations mean that pupils gain recognised certificates and awards, and all move to further education, training or employment when they leave the school.

What the school should improve

• Despite the considerable work to improve attendance, a small number of pupils are persistently absent and overall absence remains high. This means that pupils do not benefit as often as they could from the good quality of education that the school provides. The school should ensure that the impact of the strategies it uses to improve pupils' attendance is evaluated so that the most effective strategies can be replicated to help more pupils improve their attendance.

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