Westbury School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 June 2025

Pupils learn to feel safe, trust others and get back on track with their education during their time at Westbury School. Sasha, the therapy dog, and all staff warmly greet each pupil every morning, and say goodbye at the end of the school day. Pupils appreciate this. They feel valued, nurtured and cared for. In their words, 'There is a nice vibe. It is like a second home.' A standout feature of this school is how well pupils respond and rise to the subtle, calm, but clear expectations for behaviour. Pupils build strong, secure relationships with staff. This allows them to move from previously not being in school or having disrupted education to enjoying being in school. It enables and empowers them to engage and experience success as an individual and as a learner. The school's high expectations are evident everywhere. From behaviour to being out in the woodlands and from being quietly calm and managing emotions to gaining qualifications, pupils achieve well. Pupils benefit immensely from the person-centred approach. This weaves through actions and interactions throughout the school day. It makes a real and positive difference to pupils. The Wednesday 'Westbury get together' is just one of many unique aspects of school life that promotes dignity, respect and tolerance.

What the school should improve

• On occasion, learning activities do not enable pupils to learn in sufficient depth. This hinders pupils from building as rich a body of subject knowledge across the curriculum as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise so there are greater opportunities across the curriculum for these pupils to apply their knowledge in depth.

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