Battledown Centre for Children and Families

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Battledown Centre for Children and Families is a school where the child is at the heart of every decision that is made. Staff care deeply for the pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils are special.

They know and understand each pupil's unique needs. As a result, pupils are happy and safe.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils behave well in class and during social times. Pupils are keen to learn and make strong progress from their different starting points. However, the school is aware that, at times as the cohorts change, the academic curriculum is not challenging enough for some pupils.

The provision for pupils' wide...r personal development is strong. Pupils take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer, such as riding for the disabled and trips on the Willow boat. These activities increase pupils' confidence and sense of well-being.

Developing pupils' independence is threaded throughout the school day. For example, the installation of a working pelican crossing in the playground teaches pupils how to cross the road safely.

The school provides significant pastoral support to pupils and their families.

Parents are delighted with the school and appreciate all they do.

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

The school's aim to 'remove obstacles and enable learning for all our pupils' shines through. Everything the school does is about helping pupils to realise their potential.

Pupils are enthusiastic and eager to do their best. They display positive attitudes towards their learning and strive to overcome the challenges they face. Staff know each pupil exceptionally well.

This knowledge enables them to identify and intervene quickly if pupils show signs of anxiety or stress.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to receive a high-quality education. School leaders value the work of the trust that supports them in driving forward identified improvements.

This means the curriculum is well planned and bespoke to the needs of the pupil, which is linked closely to their education, health and care plans. For example, in reading and mathematics, planning for how pupils will learn the key vocabulary is clear. Staff revisit previous learning to help the most important knowledge stick in pupils' memory.

However, the school knows that for those pupils who are increasingly able to learn a more academic curriculum extra work is needed to ensure these pupils achieve the best outcomes.

The joy of books permeates the school. Pupils have rich experiences of story time.

These sessions meet pupils' sensory needs well. Staff deliver the phonics programme with precision. As a result, pupils are beginning to read with accuracy and confidence.

The therapeutic approaches used by the school are a crucial element of the school's work. For example, occupational, music, play and speech therapies are used successfully to aid pupils' well-being and academic development. Olaf, the therapy dog, is a favourite visitor to the school and helps pupils to relax and aids their ability to communicate their feelings.

Pupils' wider social development is integral to the school's work. The school plans and sequences the curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) with care. Pupils build knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy and lead safe, active lives.

For example, pupils choose fruit to eat and not sweets. However, the school is mindful that the relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum is underdeveloped. This means that pupils do not acquire important knowledge to manage their personal and social lives well.

The school has plans to strengthen this, but these are in the early stages of implementation.

Improving attendance, especially reducing persistent absence, has been a priority of the school since the pandemic. The school has secure and effective systems in place to ensure that pupils attend regularly.

As a result, pupils attend well.

Pupils relish the opportunity to experience a range of activities, such as sensory dance, trampolining, working in the allotment and visits in the community. Pupils take their roles as school councillors seriously.

They welcome the changes made to the school as a result of their suggestions, such as new outdoor equipment. These responsibilities help to build pupils skills, including resilience, leadership and self-esteem.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The RSE curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. This means that pupils do not have a deep enough understanding of important subject-specific knowledge. The trust and school must ensure that this work is fully in place so that the curriculum prepares pupils well for future learning.

• Pupils capable of following a more academic curriculum do not have sufficient opportunity to do so. As a result, their progress may be hindered. The trust and school must ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of these pupils.