The Centre School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 May 2024

Pupils are happy and feel safe at The Centre School. Most pupils join having experienced challenges in education elsewhere. This means that they start with gaps in their knowledge and lack the behaviours they need to learn well. The school helps pupils quickly develop the knowledge and attitudes they need to make positive choices to be successful. The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Staff understand the specific social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs of pupils. They are patient and caring towards pupils. This creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the school. This helps pupils, and students in the sixth form, to engage positively with their learning. Pupils benefit from high-quality personal development. This includes the extended curriculum and a range of other opportunities such as regular residential trips and curriculum visits at home and abroad. These introduce pupils to new experiences and opportunities. Pupils value their personal, social, health and economic education lessons. These help pupils learn how to avoid risks, make safer choices and learn about positive relationships. Pupils readily use opportunities to engage in meaningful debates about a wide range of topics such as democracy and representation.

What the school should improve

• In some areas of the curriculum, the school has not identified the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn. This can prevent pupils from securing the knowledge they need to aid in new learning. The school should ensure that it identifies, with precision, the knowledge that pupils should learn across all areas of the curriculum.

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