St Thomas's Centre

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 June 2024

Pupils are placed at this school having faced challenging experiences in their prior education. Some have been permanently excluded from other schools. Often, pupils arrive with large gaps in their learning due to previous absences. Some also struggle to manage their behaviour. Regardless of their previous difficulties, pupils are welcomed into a safe and nurturing environment. They are supported by staff who genuinely care about them. This helps pupils to regain trust in other people and to feel valued. The school is determined for all pupils to achieve. For many pupils, this is reflected in a plan for them to return to a mainstream setting. The support that pupils receive prepares them well for this transition. Pupils are successfully rejoining mainstream schools in increasing numbers. Those who stay at St Thomas's Centre in the longer term typically gain the qualifications that they need to move on in their education, employment or training. Recently, the school has raised its expectations of pupils' conduct. Following a period of adjustment, most pupils' behaviour is improving. That said, a minority of pupils are taking longer to live up to the school's expectations of their behaviour.

What the school should improve

• At times, some staff do not implement the phonics programme as effectively as the school intends. Furthermore, some older pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge do not receive the support that they need to catch up. This means that some pupils do not develop into accurate and fluent readers as quickly as they should. This hinders their achievement across other curriculum areas. The school should ensure that pupils in all key stages who struggle with reading receive effective support so that they catch up quickly.
• Some of the school's systems do not provide a useful evaluation of the impact of its work. At times, staff do not know how well the school's strategies are working. This includes strategies to improve behaviour and attendance, and the programme for pupils' wider social and emotional development. The school should strengthen its systems to monitor the quality of provision that pupils, including those with SEND, receive. This will ensure that pupils are supported in the most effective ways.

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