We are Locrating.com, a schools information website. This page is one of our school directory pages. This is not the website of Great Arley School.
What is Locrating?
Locrating is the UK's most popular and trusted school guide; it allows you to view inspection reports, admissions data, exam results, catchment areas, league tables, school reviews,
neighbourhood information, carry out school comparisons and much more. Below is some useful summary information regarding Great Arley School.
To see all our data you need to click the blue button at the bottom of this page to view Great Arley School
on our interactive map.
Pupils are proud ambassadors for their school. They are kind and polite, and thrive due to the positive relationships that they have with the staff, who look after them well.
In the early years, children settle in quickly. They make a positive start to their education. Pupils are happy.
All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has high aspirations for their achievement and conduct. They achieve well.
Pupils make the most of the opportunities that the school provides for them to develop their talents and interests. These include activitie...s such as the school band, drawing and sports. They become confident and independent young people.
As school councillors, pupils take an active role in improving the school. Digital leaders help their peers to develop their understanding of how to stay safe online. Pupils raise money for a variety of local and national charities.
They show a high degree of care for others.
Pupils take part in a wide range of trips that help them to deepen their understanding of the wider world and the subjects that they study. For example, they visit museums, a library and a zoo and go on residential trips to take part in adventurous activities.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. Pupils study a broad range of subjects.In the early years, children make a strong start to their time at school.
At the end of key stage 4, pupils move on to a wide range of courses at local colleges. The school takes great care to ensure that pupils make a successful transition at each stage of their education. Pupils benefit from a vocational curriculum that helps them to develop a wide range of skills.
For example, staff teach them about how to manage a budget, to cook from a meal plan and to cultivate a garden. They are well prepared for adulthood.Staff use their subject knowledge effectively to create activities that help most pupils to follow the curriculum content successfully.
The important knowledge that pupils should acquire is set out clearly. Staff identify and address any misconceptions that pupils may have about their learning. Pupils build their knowledge securely over time.
This is reflected in the work that they produce.
The school's assessment strategies are well developed. Staff have a detailed understanding of each pupil's learning needs.
Staff use this information intelligently to ensure that pupils achieve the targets that they set for them.
All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND.
Staff provide these pupils with experiences that enable them to learn well alongside their peers.
The school prioritises the development of pupils' reading, language and communication skills. This includes the use of visual aids and modern technology.
Pupils who are at the early stages of learning to communicate develop their vocabulary through singing songs and rhymes. They benefit from the specialist help that they receive to improve the accuracy of their spoken language. As a result, they learn how to articulate their thoughts and feelings successfully to others.
Most pupils at the early stages of learning to read receive the support that they need. At times, the school is slow to address the gaps that some pupils have in their phonics knowledge. This means that some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready.
Pupils read from books that are well matched to the sounds that they already know. This helps most pupils to become confident and fluent readers.
In recent times, the school has welcomed pupils with a wide range of complex needs.
It provides these pupils with the specialist therapeutic support that they need. This provision has resulted in a significant improvement in the behaviour of some pupils. They learn how to better regulate their emotions.
As a result, pupils learn in purposeful and calm classrooms. The school works closely with parents and carers to understand and address any barriers that may prevent pupils from attending school. Most pupils attend school regularly.
The school takes great care to ensure that pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that make a strong contribution to their wider development. Pupils know how to care for their physical and mental health and how to keep themselves safe. They value the differences that exist between people.
They know the signs of healthy relationships. They benefit from a comprehensive programme of careers education. Strong links with local colleges ensure that they are well prepared for the next stage in their education, employment or training.
Governors have an accurate understanding of the performance of the school. They receive detailed information about the school that helps them to carry out their statutory and strategic duties effectively. Staff feel supported and carry out their roles with a high degree of integrity.
They have welcomed recent changes to assessment that have helped to improve their workload and well-being.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• On occasion, the school does not promptly address the gaps that some pupils have in their phonics knowledge.
When this happens, these pupils struggle to segment and blend sounds independently, and this prevents them from becoming confident and fluent readers. The school should ensure that staff receive the support that they need to implement the phonics curriculum effectively so that pupils are well prepared for the reading demands of the next stage in their education.
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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.