Phoenix Independent School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 March 2025

This is a school where adults go above and beyond to help pupils thrive, both academically and socially. Pupils rise to these high expectations and achieve well. One pupil, summing up the views of others, said, 'Here they treat us like human beings. They genuinely care about us and help us to do well.' A significant number of pupils join the school with a history of poor school attendance and engagement. All staff understand this and work closely with pupils and their families to build trusting and positive relationships quickly. Staff have high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. Staff teach pupils what positive behaviour looks like and this helps to ensure that pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. The school prioritises getting to know pupils as soon as they arrive. There is an extensive transition and induction process which ensures pupils settle in well. Right from the moment pupils join, they are encouraged to think about their futures. The extensive careers programme helps pupils to consider their next steps carefully. The school has established a comprehensive personal development programme that supports pupils to develop confidence, independence and resilience. Pupils develop skills that they never thought they would have. For example, pupils achieve qualifications in climbing, kayaking and first aid. These experiences help pupils leave the school well prepared for their future.

What the school should improve

• At times, assessment strategies are not used as well as they could be. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their understanding. The school should ensure that teachers are supported to check what pupils know and can do and to adapt learning as appropriate.
• The proprietor has begun to think about ways to support pupils with gaps in their phonics knowledge. However, this is in the early stages of being implemented. This means that some pupils do not read as fluently as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise that they need to quickly address any gaps in phonics knowledge so that all pupils become confident readers.

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