Yew Tree Farm School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 January 2025

The school's calm, friendly and positive atmosphere supports pupils' learning and personal development well. Staff greet pupils warmly at the start of the day and pupils are soon busily engaged in school life. Pupils happily participate in a range of practical activities on this working farm, such as feeding the animals and helping to put them away at the end of the day. They love being with the farm animals and look after them with kindness and affection. Staff capitalise on pupils' interest in the farm to help pupils engage with school. Staff successfully combine high expectations with understanding and sensitivity. They provide strong role models for pupils, who like their teachers and feel secure and valued. The warmth of relationships established between staff and pupils support behaviour very well. Pupils understand what is expected of them. They behave sensibly around the farm and learn well. They enjoy using a range of facilities on the school site, including the good-quality timber classroom, which provides a bright, warm and inviting space for them to learn. Lunchtimes provide opportunities for pupils to enjoy chatting and relaxing while eating food cooked on the school's well-supervised fire pit.

What the school should improve

• Ongoing assessments are not used consistently enough to inform teaching. This means that curriculum content is not always adjusted promptly enough to ensure that all pupils achieve as highly as they could. The school should develop the use of assessment so that all staff have an accurate understanding of pupils' emerging needs and the expertise required to ensure that all pupils learn as fully as they can.

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