Garratt Park School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Garratt Park School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and happy school.

They enjoy learning; they make friends and they feel safe. Pupils say that bullying hardly ever happens, and if it does, they know who they can talk to. Adults sort out any problems between pupils quickly.

All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and staff make sure that pupils' safety and well-being are at the centre of everything they do.

The programme of learning that pupils follow is well thought out. It teaches pupils important academic content but also develops pupils' soci...al and communication skills so that they are well prepared for their next step after leaving the school.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is a particular strength and guides pupils to learn important life skills, including the difference between right and wrong, how to keep themselves safe and how we should value and respect each other.

The school is a calm and welcoming environment. Staff expect pupils to work hard and to behave well.

Pupils conduct themselves around the school in a sensible and orderly way and staff are nearby to support pupils if they need help. Pupils behave well in lessons. They are respectful to the adults in the school and get on well with each other.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders, including governors, are continuing to move the school forward. They know the school's strengths in detail, and they also know the areas they should focus on to make it even better. The curriculum is well considered.

It is ambitious for all the pupils at the school. Leaders continually review the curriculum and have identified some key areas where it could be even stronger. This includes some new aspects of the curriculum that have been recently introduced.

This means that in a few areas, the curriculum is not yet fully embedded. The work of the school is enhanced by a team of therapists and other agencies who are united by the school's values of growth, progress and success.

When pupils join the school, they are carefully assessed to find out if there are any gaps in their learning.

Teaching is then adapted to the needs of the pupil. The school continues to check that pupils are making progress through the curriculum. The school has put in place a structured programme to support pupils who are still learning to read, using books and resources that are carefully chosen to interest older pupils.

Reading is prioritised so that pupils can gain the literacy skills they need to access the rest of the curriculum.

Pupils learn a broad curriculum that includes information technology, music and art and design technology, as well as the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. All pupils benefit from a strong PSHE curriculum, which teaches key skills and knowledge, including how to look after yourself, how to manage your feelings and emotions and the changes that young people experience as they move towards adulthood.

Pupils learn about safe and healthy relationships and about the different ways that people live their lives. Pupils learn about the importance of regular attendance at school. Leaders take all reasonable steps to ensure pupils attend school as often as possible, including working with families and other agencies where necessary.

Physical education (PE) is taught in an expert and imaginative way. As a result, pupils experience new activities that they haven't tried before, including those that are adapted for pupils with SEND, as well as more traditional sports. PE is taught at school and in the community, including at local leisure centres.

This helps pupils to gain important life skills and confidence so that they can take part in fitness activities as adults.

Pupils take part in many trips and visits, which supplement the curriculum. For example, there is a regular camping trip where pupils can practise what they have learned on the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme.

Pupils also visit museums and art galleries in the local area. They take part in many sporting activities in the area, not only as competitors but also helping as volunteers, for example at the London Youth Games.

The curriculum includes opportunities for pupils to learn about the world of work and to develop independence.

For those pupils who continue into the sixth form, the curriculum has a particular focus on preparing for life after school. Pupils are well prepared for their next step. The school helps pupils to plan for their future.

They visit colleges in the local area, attend careers events and prepare CVs and applications. Some pupils access supported internships after leaving school.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They say that leaders consider their well-being and that they have the support and training they need to do their job.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders are still in the process of establishing some new aspects of the curriculum.

This means that in a few areas, learning is not fully embedded in pupils' long-term memory. Leaders should complete their implementation of these new aspects of the curriculum so that it is consistently adapted to the particular needs of the pupils and prepares them for their future lives.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2019.