The Wildings

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 June 2024

The Wildings significantly changes pupils' and families' lives for the better. Nearly all pupils have been permanently excluded from other settings prior to joining. Some have missed large parts of their education. The Wildings throws a protective blanket around these pupils and allows them to flourish. It does so by quickly getting to know their personalities, backgrounds and interests. Pupils learn that staff will listen and care for them. Adults help them to feel a sense of pride and self-worth. They identify potential triggers or flashpoints to help reduce poor behaviour. As a result, there is demonstrable improvement in pupils' ability to manage their own behaviour over time. This has meant pupils have coped well with the recent raised expectations of the academic curriculum. Pupils benefit from the extensive school grounds. Through the forest school, pupils learn about the environment and ways to manage it positively. They learn to take risks during off-site events, such as paddleboarding. There is a strong pupil voice. During weekly meetings, pupils and staff discuss ways to improve the school. Through theme days, pupils learn about different religions and cultures. This helps to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, some staff's expectations of what pupils can achieve, and the learning they give, are not high enough. As a result, pupils do not learn new knowledge as well as in other subjects. The proprietor should ensure that it supports staff to teach with the same high expectations of what pupils can do across the curriculum so that pupils learn new knowledge well.
• Pupils' access to high-quality careers advice and support at key stage 3 is not as well considered as it is for older pupils. As a result, pupils are not as well informed about potential next steps in education, training and employment as they could be. The proprietor should ensure that leaders implement their intended developments of the careers programme in key stage 3 to help pupils make informed decisions about their next steps in education, training or employment.

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