Nyland School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Nyland School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils who attend the school have had negative experiences of education in the past. At Nyland, things turn around and become positive. Pupils and parents say that this is because staff are 'amazing', 'kind' and 'dedicated'.

Staff have high expectations. They help pupils emotionally and academically. There is a strong emphasis on pupils understanding their feelings and managing their behaviour.

Pupils learn to behave better and work and play alongside their friends. There is a clear curriculum. Staff make sure that pupils learn well and tackle any gaps they might have in their learning....

Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. They know that they can tell a trusted adult if they are worried about something. Pupils said that bullying is rare.

Staff carefully target the skills that pupils need to develop. There is a wide range of activities, including therapy, outdoor learning and educational outings. Staff place a strong emphasis on values such as friendship, trust and respect throughout the day.

All this means that pupils are well prepared for their next step in education.

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

Leaders have planned a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils. They are clear about the content to be covered in each subject.'

Pathways' have recently been introduced in most subjects to show the knowledge and skills pupils will learn over time. Staff know pupils very well. They know about individual pupils' strengths and areas of difficulty.

Through careful assessment, teachers identify any gaps in learning that pupils might have. Staff use this information skilfully to adapt the curriculum so that it matches the needs of the pupil and they learn effectively.

Staff follow consistent approaches and routines through the school.

These are effective in building pupils' knowledge over time. These routines give pupils a sense of security so that they become more confident to take risks in their learning.

Leaders have recently strengthened the teaching of reading.

All staff have been re-trained to follow a common approach. Pupils learn phonics in small groups. They enjoy the specific activities and get lots of opportunities to practise their reading.

Pupils' reading books are carefully chosen by adults. The current approach is relatively new, but pupils are learning to read effectively. They are becoming more confident about reading aloud.

Through reading, pupils develop a wider vocabulary.

Pupils are proud of their work in mathematics. Teachers ensure that there are times for pupils to practise what they have learned previously so that they develop strong knowledge.

Teachers also plan opportunities for pupils to deepen and apply their knowledge. Leaders are aware that at times, the mathematics curriculum is not challenging enough for all pupils.

Pupils learning to become effective learners and good citizens is the foundation of Nyland School.

This work is of high quality. The personal, social and health education curriculum is carefully planned so that pupils learn about relationships, being healthy and staying safe. Pupils learn concepts such as democracy and British values.

Staff plan activities for pupils to develop skills such as resilience and teamwork. They help pupils to understand their anxieties and manage their strong feelings. Individual targets to address a pupil's social and emotional needs are threaded through all activities.

Pupils learn to manage their behaviour well. They become reflective about their past and their difficulties. The school has a calm and purposeful environment.

There is a team approach at Nyland. Staff are rightly proud of their work. They have a clear idea of the strengths of the school and want to keep improving the curriculum.

Staff feel well supported by the senior leadership team. They value the training provided by the multi-academy trust. The White Horse Federation ensures that the school is supported and challenged.

To strengthen this further, it has joined the local governing body of Nyland with the governing body of another school. It is too early to judge the impact of this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

A commitment to support every pupil and their family underpins the school's work on safeguarding. Staff are well trained. They are very knowledgeable about some of the complex backgrounds of their pupils.

There are clear procedures to deal with concerns. Staff have good relationships with outside agencies to seek advice or provide coordinated support to families.

Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on staff who work in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Aspects of the curriculum have recently been strengthened and are still relatively new. Leaders must continue to refine the implementation of the curriculum so that it is securely embedded across all subjects and pupils gain sufficient knowledge and skills over time. ? The local governing body has recently been reformed.

School leaders and the multi-academy trust should continue to support this new body to ensure that it fulfils the role defined by the White Horse Federation scheme of delegation. It should be helped to become a critical friend, supporting the drive for excellence and helping Nyland School to sustain its unique vision.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2016.