Churchill Special Free School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Churchill Special Free School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of the school is Chris Komodromos. The school is part of Unity Schools Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by a chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Coulson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Quinn.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school as this is a place where they can be themselves. Pupils build important social skills and make friends. Adults support pupils to celebrate their neurodiversity and recognise the shared s...imilarities they have with others, regardless of background.

One pupil echoed many others by saying 'this is a school that any pupil in the world would want to go to'.

All staff know pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) incredibly well. Staff give pupils highly effective speech, language and therapeutic support.

This helps pupils to behave well and make exceptional progress.

Pupils enjoy an exceptionally wide variety of activities such as coding, garage band, reading club or animal care. The very well-planned enrichment programme gives pupils engaging experiences that help build their confidence and resilience.

Additionally, the 'life skills' curriculum supports pupils to learn how to be independent, for instance using public transport or buying and cooking food.

Pupils get to do things that they previously felt were not possible before joining the school. These include completing an adapted expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award or independent work experience.

The school provides pupils with the tools and firm foundations for their next step in life.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has accurately evaluated and improved its curriculum to reflect the changing needs of its pupils. The exceptional success of the curriculum is down to the way staff consistently and effectively help pupils to learn.

The school and trust ensure staff access relevant professional development. This means staff know the most effective ways to support pupils with their learning. Staff adapt lessons expertly around pupils' often various complex needs and backgrounds.

When pupils begin at the school, high-quality assessment picks up pupils' varied gaps in knowledge. The school works robustly to bridge these gaps in understanding, such as in reading. This ensures all pupils have the knowledge needed to access the ambitious curriculum.

Despite the small size of the school, pupils study a range of subjects to GCSE level and beyond, should they choose to stay in the sixth form. By the time pupils leave the school, they have progressed exceptionally well from their varied starting points. All pupils move on to further study or training.

The school's effective actions to improve the reading curriculum have had a marked effect on pupils' reading knowledge. Staff spot who is behind and work quickly to ensure these pupils catch. This means pupils can access the range of texts they encounter across the curriculum.

They enjoy reading and are proud 'reading ambassadors'. Working closely with the school's speech and language team, staff help pupils to learn the meaning of new words. Pupils build their vocabulary well and grow in confidence.

All staff understand the school's excellent approach to supporting pupils to manage their behaviour and feelings. Clear routines in class help pupils feel safe and secure. Pupils treat each other and staff with respect.

Staff, and the well-regarded pastoral team effectively 'step in' to help pupils take a moment to get back on track with their learning. Older pupils talk openly about how these effective structures and routines have helped them manage their own worries and behaviours increasingly well. Pupils want to be here.

Consequently, pupils' attendance is consistently high.

Each aspect of school life is planned and joined together exceptionally well. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is crafted around what pupils need to prepare them well for adulthood.

Topics covering relationships education are sensitively adapted to match pupils' needs and understanding. Pupils' learning about democracy was brought to life through voting for the 'pupil parliament'. High-quality careers advice and work experience enable pupils to aim high and realise their potential.

Pupils' voices are heard and taken seriously in developing the school further.

The school and trust's comprehensive work, supported fully by staff, ensures that standards have been maintained, for the benefit of all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in September 2015.

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