Wren Spinney Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Achievement is outstanding. Students make rapid progress over time from their very low starting points. Progress in communication, literacy and numeracy is at least good and for most students it is outstanding.

Students of all ages are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage. All move into the sixth form at the end of Year 11. The sixth form is outstanding.

Students in the sixth form make outstanding progress in independent learning, social skills, functional skills, work related learning and preparation for life. Teaching throughout the school has improved and it is outstanding. It enables students to make outs...tanding progress.

Teachers have high expectations for students' learning and ensure different students are given activities which they can do and which also makes them think hard. They have excellent relationships with students and create a very positive atmosphere for learning in their classrooms. Students' behaviour is outstanding.

They thoroughly enjoy learning and the attendance of most students is above average. The school's work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. The headteacher provides visionary leadership and is supported very well by senior leaders.

They have sustained outstanding provision since the previous inspection and have now raised the quality of teaching to outstanding. They have also developed leadership responsibilities across the school. This has enabled further improvements in assessment in the range of subjects and in the sixth form.

Senior leaders check teaching and learning rigorously. They now plan to build on the outstanding quality through giving teachers more opportunities to share their expertise with each other. The governing body provides robust support for the school and is rigorous in holding leaders to account for students' learning and well-being and for the quality of teaching.

Together with school leaders, they demonstrate excellent capacity for further consolidation and improvement.

Information about this school

Wren Spinney caters for students with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties. A high proportion of students have autistic spectrum disorder, most have communication difficulties and some have complex learning difficulties or medical needs.

All students have a statement of special educational needs as none are supported at school action or school action plus. Most students are White British and very few students speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average.

This is the additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care or from families where a parent is in the armed forces. Approximately half of the students attend alternative providers, for part of their education. These include, The Shop and The Studio managed by the school in Kettering, which provide opportunities for students to engage in work-related learning and partnership working with other local mainstream and special schools.

These also include Friars, Greenfields and Billing Brook special schools within the Northamptonshire special schools consortium. The school has very recently been awarded Teaching School status in conjunction with five other special schools by the National College for Teaching and Leadership. Since the previous inspection there has been a significant increase in the sixth form, the school has established The Studio and is part of the Northamptonshire special schools consortium and a new Chair of governors is in post.