Thamesfield College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 November 2023

Each morning, pupils are welcomed by kind and considerate staff. Time is taken to help every individual settle and get ready to learn. For some pupils this is not always easy, particularly for those whose education was disrupted before they joined the school. In response to any poor behaviour, staff show patience and care. This helps pupils know they are safe and that they can learn, once they are ready. There is a calm learning environment across both school sites. Pupils value their bespoke timetables that focus on the education and support needed in readiness for the next stage of education. Older pupils talk confidently about how their vocational courses are preparing them for different training opportunities available to them when they leave school. For younger pupils, well-trained staff provide thoughtful teaching and therapeutic support to help pupils move into a specialist or mainstream school. The personal development of pupils is of equal importance as their academic education. A wide variety of opportunities help pupils explore their own identity and their place in their communities. Pupils keenly describe how their learning, such as through the carefully planned personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, helps them know the actions they must take to stay safe.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the school is continuing to implement the redeveloped curriculum pathways. As a result, some activities do not always closely match the intended outcomes, meaning pupils are not always learning as much as they could. The school should continue to monitor the full implementation of the curriculum to ensure it is securely and consistently embedded across all subjects.
• Written documentation around the individual needs of pupils with SEND does not always give staff the detailed information they need to successfully adapt learning. In addition, the school recognises that all staff do not always have the appropriate knowledge about the different, and often complex, needs of the pupils who now attend the school. Consequently, learning is not always as sharply focused as it could be. The school needs to continue to implement their planned improvements and training to build the expertise of staff.

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