Snowdon Village

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 June 2023

Pupils come to Snowdon Village with previous negative experiences of education. They have often had significant periods of non-attendance. Leaders prioritise building strong, trusting relationships between pupils and staff. As a result, pupils attend school increasingly well and re-engage with learning in a positive way. Pupils are keen to describe the impact that staff have on them. They value the commitment that staff have to securing the very best for them. Parents agree. They are greatly appreciative of the dedication, expertise and communication they have with staff to achieve goals that they never thought would be possible, for example pupils sitting GCSEs and attending school full time. Pupils are respectful and motivated to learn. They meet the high expectations staff have of them. These are modelled clearly by staff and provide pupils with firm boundaries. This helps pupils feel safe and establishes a calm environment for learning across the school sites. Pupils' welfare, physical and mental health is a priority. Leaders provide a wealth of opportunities for pupils to experience success and increase their resilience. Pupils learn how to manage their emotions in response to demands placed on them. They are well prepared for their next steps and to become active members of their community.

What the school should improve

• Leaders' overall strategic vision and oversight of the whole school lacks clarity. There are areas of the whole school provision that are clear, fully communicated and understood by all. However, other aspects are overseen at individual sites. As a result, there is not a cohesive and fully amalgamated view of the school as one entity. This leads to inconsistencies which, at times, impact on pupils' experiences. Leaders need to draw on the wealth of information that is available for individual sites and design a clear and unified strategic view of the school.
• Leaders do not have a fully formed oversight of the academic curriculum beyond what is in place on each site. As a result, there are inconsistencies in how successfully some pupils learn in line with leaders' high ambition. Leaders need to ensure that strong practice is shared, and staff have the knowledge they need to support pupils to achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Staff meet the primary social, emotional and mental health needs of pupils well. However, there is too much variability in how learning is adapted to meet the additional needs that pupils have so that their learning is accessible without reliance on adult support. Pupils do not always have the necessary resources and strategies available so that they can learn with an increasing level of independence and reduction in adult support. Leaders should ensure that staff gain the expertise they need to support pupils in overcoming additional barriers to learning, with less reliance on adults.

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