Brooklands School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils make consistently good progress from their different starting points.

The achievement of all groups of pupils is good. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get an excellent start due to outstanding teaching. This targets their individual needs exceptionally well.

Consistently effective teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities make good progress, including in English and mathematics. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils behave extremely well and develop excellent attitudes to learning and this makes a significant contribution to the very positive climate for learning in each classroom....

The school provides a very safe environment and pupils feel safe and well cared for. The school provides a good range of learning activities. It has made particularly good use of additional funding for physical education and sports.

This has significantly improved pupils' achievement and well-being. The school has made rapid improvements over the past two years due to the highly effective leadership of the headteacher and his committed and determined leadership team. The governing body has increased its skills and is now in a good position to challenge the school and hold its leaders to account.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not always sufficiently targeted at the needs and abilities of individuals. This is because, occasionally, learning intentions are too broad rather than personalised. This does not enable all pupils to make as much progress as they could.

Information about this school

Brooklands is a school for pupils aged from two to 11 with severe and complex needs. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs. Close to two thirds have severe learning difficulties and a third has autistic spectrum disorder; a smaller proportion of pupils have profound and multiple learning difficulties.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is a little higher than the national average. A very small minority come from homes where English is not the first language. The proportion of pupils eligible for support through additional pupil premium funding is just below the national average.

The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and those with a parent in the armed services. In common with all schools with primary-age pupils, the school also receives extra funding to improve physical education (PE) and sport. Since the previous inspection, the school has had the support of a local leader of education.