The Waterloo School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 March 2025

Pupils are exuberantly proud of their school. Adults get to know pupils well. Everyone is valued as a unique individual. This creates a culture of belonging and acceptance, where pupils are safe and well cared for. Pupils understand what is expected of them. Routines and expectations for learning are very clear. Pupils follow their class rules and behave well. This means that they learn and achieve well. The school has an emphasis on being mentally and physically fit and healthy. The 'must do, can do, move it' approach means that pupils benefit from frequent opportunities to be active outside. They particularly enjoy the outdoor play equipment. Pupils learn to label their emotions and develop a personal toolkit of strategies that help them to regulate their behaviour. Staff carefully manage any occasions where a pupil becomes dysregulated so that they quickly return to learning. As part of the wider curriculum offer, younger pupils participate in adventurous outdoor activities and learn to work safely with tools. The highlight of many pupils' week is trampolining or swimming sessions. Older pupils have the opportunity to achieve a recognised sailing qualification through sailing sessions. These activities help pupils to develop their confidence and resilience and become responsible young citizens.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils' individual academic targets are not defined clearly enough. This means that staff are sometimes not clear about what pupils should learn next and what support is needed to consolidate their learning before they move on. The school should ensure that all staff are clear about how to support pupils to develop and build on the foundational knowledge and skills they need for future learning across the curriculum.

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