Hall School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Pupils make good progress and successfully develop key skills because teaching is good. They learn how to communicate with others effectively because of valuable staff expertise and the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Reception children achieve well and begin to fill gaps in their knowledge.

Parents and staff work really well together and so children settle quickly into school life. Sixth form students make good progress and develop their basic skills because practical activities are used to make learning interesting. Behaviour is outstanding and pupils concentrate very successfully.

They are extremely res...pectful and tolerant of others, whatever their background or ability. Pupils' safety is a high priority for all staff and so pupils feel extremely safe in school. Parents agree that pupils are kept safe.

In recent years, pupils' attendance has improved considerably and it is now above average. Staff expect a great deal from every pupil and get to know their needs well. All staff work productively together as a team.

They are proud to work at the school. Pupils are extremely self-confident young people who perform in community sports and musical events to large groups of people. Governors and leaders are always looking at ways to improve the school.

A significant improvement since the last inspection is the tracking of all groups of pupils' progress. This means that pupils' achievement has improved over the last few years and is good. A good leadership team, including subject leaders, watch pupils' achievement and the impact of teaching carefully.

They ensure that those pupils who are making slower progress receive extra support. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Occasionally feedback for pupils, including those in Reception, is not particularly detailed and so they are not totally clear about what they did well and might do to improve their skills. Pupils are not always given new individual targets promptly.

This is because the dates when some targets are met are not clearly recorded and acted on. Pupils make slightly slower progress in science than in other key subjects. Staff do not regularly help to collect evidence that they have met their personal targets to improve their teaching skills.

The range of vocational courses for sixth form students is not broad enough.

Information about this school

This is a school for pupils with severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders, behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. All pupils have very complex needs and a statement of special educational needs.

The school operates on one site. Alternative providers are not used to educate pupils. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above average and over half the pupils are eligible for free school meals.

The pupil premium is government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority. Most pupils are White British. A few speak English as an additional language and are from minority ethnic groups.

Children in the early years attend school full time. In the sixth form students stay on site except when they use local facilities for sports, attend residential activities in the UK and abroad, and participate in community activities with other schools or in work experience. Outreach to other schools is a well-established service and supports pupils' communication skills and behaviour management.