Marjory Kinnon School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders strive to provide pupils with a high-quality education, therapies and enrichment experiences.

They are adept at making timely amendments to staffing and the curriculum to make sure that pupils' additional needs are met successfully. Pupils gain the social and academic skills that they need to lead meaningful, independent adult lives.

Pupils are safe and happy here.

This is because they know that staff care for them and will always help them if they have worries. From Reception onwards, children and older pupils behave well. Staff are experts in helping pupils to calm down if they get overwhelmed.

Often, staff anticipate that a pupil may be ge...tting anxious and about to struggle with their behaviour. They step in early to help pupils to manage their feelings, for instance by taking them out for a short movement break. When pupils have disagreements or should there be bullying, staff deal with concerns effectively.

They support the pupils to understand their behaviour and the impact it has on others. This helps the pupils involved to reconcile.

Pupils take part in an extensive and well-planned range of enrichment activities.

For example, they love using their art, instrumental, singing and drama skills to put on theatrical presentations. The school's 'village' helps pupils to gain the experience, social communication skills and confidence to go shopping independently.

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

Leaders, staff and therapists work in collaboration to identify and assess all pupils' needs.

They use this information carefully, providing learning, additional support and therapeutic provision in a bespoke manner. Leaders' and staff's holistic way of working enables pupils to achieve well.

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading.

All staff have been trained in the school's chosen phonics programme. They apply their expertise consistently, with the development of pupils' reading threaded through the curriculum. Staff also use a range of other communication tools and strategies to help pupils to express themselves.

For example, due to the changing needs of pupils joining the school, staff are trained in communication approaches using signing, pictures and images. Staff make sure that pupils practise their reading often. Books are matched to the sounds that pupils have learned.

Staff give effective extra help to those pupils who fall behind. Pupils enjoy listening to stories that their teachers read to them. They take home books from the school's well-stocked libraries.

Leaders have also linked up with a charity to provide free books to families. All of this helps pupils to develop a love of reading. Over time, they become confident and fluent readers.

Subject leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and remember. They break down learning into small logical steps. Pupils build up their knowledge over time well.

Children in Reception acquire the foundational knowledge that they need to succeed in Year 1. In a few subjects, however, leaders have not fully considered all the knowledge that they want pupils to understand and remember. As a result, in those cases, pupils do not gain as much new knowledge as they could.

Teachers and support staff are skilled in catering for pupils' specific needs. They make appropriate adaptations to their teaching to enable pupils to meet their individual targets. Staff check on pupils' learning.

They give them many opportunities to consolidate what they have been taught. This helps pupils to build up and recall key knowledge over time.

Staff create a welcoming and supportive environment in classrooms.

They use a range of quality resources that engage pupils' interests and meet their needs. This helps pupils to enjoy learning new things. Children in Reception are supported to develop positive learning behaviours such as curiosity and concentration.

Leaders provide pupils with a comprehensive programme of impartial careers guidance. The different curriculum pathways cater for pupils' needs and aspirations. This includes pathways which support pupils to achieve various accreditations, including GCSEs and BTEC National Diplomas.

Through careers education, pupils meet representatives from a range of different industries. They have opportunities to undertake work experience.

Staff teach pupils about how to form healthy relationships and how to stay safe online.

Older pupils run a café. They take lunch orders, collect money and manage the budget. Through the horticulture curriculum, primary-age pupils grow food and flowers.

Pupils take part in many visits. These include outings to the local lido, Kew Gardens and residential team-building activities. Clubs on offer are varied, and include Brownies and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme.

These opportunities form part of leaders' high-quality work to prepare pupils for their future adult lives.

Leaders show consideration for staff well-being. For example, staff have access to an employee assistance programme.

The vast majority of staff appreciate the things that leaders have done to reduce their workload. Staff value the collaborative approach in the school. They like working with colleagues across phases and often draw on each other's areas of expertise.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive frequent safeguarding training and updates. They build strong working relationships with pupils and are vigilant.

Staff are aware of the potential extra vulnerabilities that pupils in this school may have. They are quick to spot and report any concerning incidents or changes in pupils' behaviours. Leaders respond promptly to any concerns, including arranging support from the range of internal therapists or external agencies to support pupils' safety and well-being.

Pupils learn about risks and how to seek help. Staff arrange workshops for parents and carers to help them understand potential safeguarding issues and how to support their children in understanding and avoiding risk.

There are robust practices in place to vet applicants' suitability to work with pupils before they are appointed to work in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, curriculum thinking is not fully developed across the phases of the school. As a result, pupils do not deepen their knowledge and learn as successfully as they could in those subjects. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, they identify the key knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember, and plan how that builds year on year from Reception to Year 11.

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