Mary Hare School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Results are on the up! By the time they reach the end of Year 11, more pupils than in the past are gaining a good set of GCSE results, including in English and mathematics. Teaching is strong and improving. Teachers feel supported well through good-quality training opportunities and access to senior staff for advice.

Mary Hare's pupils take great pride in their school. Their behaviour is exemplary. Adults, including the therapy staff, attend well to pupils' learning, emotional and healthcare needs.

Students in the sixth form benefit from good study programmes, well-tailored to their needs and aspirations. They leave well equipped for the ...next steps in their training or employment. The principal has the full support of the staff and parent body.

He and the senior staff lead by example. Expectations of staff and pupils are high. Pupils say that they feel safe.

Any concerns, worries or issues are dealt with effectively. The residential provision is safe, well led and well maintained. Residential staff are highly motivated and committed to providing the best possible care.

Children and young people enjoy being in residential provision. They grow in self-esteem, communication and social skills. The governing body takes a keen interest in the residential and educational provision.

Governors' independent monitoring is top class. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching, learning and assessment are not yet consistently outstanding. Leaders have not yet ensured fully that best practice is shared and that all the national minimum standards are met.

Compliance with national minimum standards for residential special schools The school does not meet all the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

. Information about this school

Mary Hare School is larger than the average non-maintained residential special school for pupils who have moderate, severe or profound deafness.

All pupils have cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. They are all taught to use spoken English. All pupils have an education, health and care plan for their deafness, apart from a very few pupils who come from overseas.

A large number of pupils have special educational needs in addition to their deafness. The school is based on two sites. The primary school caters for up to 35 pupils aged from five to 11.

The secondary school caters for up to 200 pupils aged 11 to 19, including 62 currently in the sixth form. There are no children in the early years foundation stage. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is smaller than that found in similar schools.

There is one child looked after by the local authority attending the school currently. Most pupils are of White British background. The school has residential provision in six houses on the primary and secondary sites.

Nearly all pupils are residential. The school does not use any alternative provision. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.