Mulberry Bush School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this transformative school. Most pupils attend Mulberry Bush School having experienced childhood trauma.

All arrive finding it difficult to be in a class or live among others. Expert staff rapidly build trusting and positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to feel safe and ready to learn.

Pupils know the high expectations the school has for their learning and behaviour, and they constantly strive to meet them.

Pupils feel valued and listened to. They play an integral part in the school community by leading the school council and the 'get together' community meetings.

Pupils learn how to be positive members of a group. Th...ey hold other pupils and themselves to account for their behaviour. Social times are joyful periods of the day.

During which, staff provide pupils with a range of activities that match their interests. Pupils across the school interact with each other with kindness and respect.

Due to their complex needs, pupils sometimes find it hard to manage their emotions.

When this happens, well-trained staff skilfully support them. Pupils receive an excellent package of support during their time here. This prepares them extremely well to be able to learn alongside others and live successfully in a family home.

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

The school's curriculum is highly ambitious and broad. It contains carefully constructed sequences of learning that meet pupils' individual needs precisely. The curriculum offer has been suitably amended to help pupils meet their education, health and care plan outcomes.

Therapeutic activities, including speech and language, music and drama therapy, are a crucial part of the school day. These activities are accurately matched to pupils' needs. This holistic curriculum has a profoundly positive impact on pupils' well-being and learning.

As such, pupils achieve exceptionally well.

As soon as a pupil starts, staff find out how well they can read. Staff use this information to understand what help to give pupils who have fallen behind with reading.

They put in place highly effective additional activities. These activities help pupils to become capable and confident readers.

Staff have exceedingly strong knowledge about the curriculum they teach.

They also receive specialist training about pupils' complex experiences and needs. Subsequently, they are experts about pupils' social, emotional and mental health needs. They use this expertise to make impactful and bespoke adaptations to the curriculum.

A sense of calm and purpose pervades the school. Pupils behave extremely well. This is because staff use their specialist knowledge to set up the right learning environment for them.

Lessons are rarely disrupted. Pupils value their time at school and have extremely positive attitudes towards their learning.

Personal development is intricately woven through all areas of the school.

This includes pupils cultivating their social skills, so they are responsible and safe in their community.Pupils receive constant nurture and guidance from staff. This helps pupils to understand the impact of their behaviour and find ways to change it.

Through personal, social and health education lessons, pupils learn about various cultural influences. They learn about the different views and beliefs people can have and why it is important to respect them. As a result, they are being well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The school's careers approach responds to the individual needs and aspirations of pupils. Pupils learn about the types of jobs they can do in the future. They learn about the skills needed to be in employment and have the chance to practise these.

This school is truly a community, where parents'/carers', staff and pupils' views are listened to and acted upon. Staff are immensely proud to work here. They believe in and are motivated by the vision that leaders have.

School and charity leaders work well together to make sure that the provision in place for pupils is the best it can be. They are driven by the same moral aim to ensure that pupils who attend Mulberry Bush School, will leave here able to live successful and happy lives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.