Parayhouse School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 February 2024

Pupils are keen to come to school every day, meaning that attendance rates are high. This is because they are surrounded by kind and caring adults who meet their specific needs well and in an enjoyable manner. Staff do all they can to develop pupils' communication and social skills. Pupils are helped to make friends and get on well with each other. They behave attentively in class and maturely during social times. Pupils have the confidence to share any worries that they may have with a trusted adult and feel that their concerns will be addressed. This helps them to feel safe. The school aspires to provide all pupils with a broad curriculum. It is adapted appropriately to meet each pupil's needs. Learning combines and interweaves both academic and social elements. There is a sharp focus on giving the pupils the knowledge and tools they need to develop independence and to live successfully in the community. They leave the school well prepared for entry to post-16 specialist provisions. The school creates several opportunities for pupils, staff and governors, as well as parents and carers, to share experiences together as a community. For example, every year they spend a day together at a specialist theme park for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

What the school should improve

• Some work remains to be done, in a few subjects, to refine and embed the school's recent improvements in curriculum design and implementation. This means that there are some instances where pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should ensure that its curriculum thinking, implementation and approaches to assessments in all subject areas are embedded effectively.

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