Park View School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Park View School.

They feel valued and safe. Staff have an exceptional understanding of every pupil's needs. They nurture caring and supportive relationships with pupils.

These relationships continue once pupils have left school. For example, some former pupils ask for help to fill in job application forms. One pupil echoed the view of many other pupils: 'Teachers do not treat the job just as a job, they care and they are not teaching us for their monthly wage, but for our futures.'



Leaders have high expectations for all pupils both emotionally and academically. They meticulously plan support for pupils to ensure that they ha...ve the skills and knowledge to be independent and successful learners throughout school and when they leave. Pupils respond positively to the support that they receive from well-trained and knowledgeable staff.

Pupils behave well in the classroom and around the school. Bullying is not tolerated by the staff or pupils themselves.

Pupils develop their confidence and resilience during their time at school.

Leaders ensure pupils experience a rich and relevant curriculum that meets their needs. This includes a range of opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. Pupils who attend the vocational centre regain their love of learning.

They learn skills such as motor mechanics, bricklaying and welding. This prepares them for their next steps in education and employment.

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

Leaders create a positive learning culture where they expect all pupils to achieve.

Many pupils have previously experienced disruption to their education. On joining the school, leaders consider pupils' starting points, identifying any gaps in their knowledge. Leaders carefully plan the exact skills and knowledge that they want pupils to gain.

As a result, pupils learn a broad, well-sequenced curriculum. They are keen to learn and enjoy the highly personalised work and tasks that are given to them.

Leaders promote the love of reading.

They seek the views of pupils to select books that they can enjoy. Pupils enjoy reading in the new library that they have designed. Many pupils join the school unable to read with confidence and accuracy.

The school has a phonics programme in place. However, staff do not follow the curriculum when they pronounce sounds or help pupils to practise spelling. Pupils' misconceptions and errors are not identified consistently.

Pupils do not have enough opportunities to read books that are matched to the sounds that they know. As a result, pupils are not learning to read with fluency and confidence as quickly as they should.

Pupils benefit from a range of well-thought-out interventions and strategies.

A school therapist and social, emotional and mental health lead work with individual pupils and their families to ensure that they receive the right support at the right time. For example, all pupils have access to touch therapy sessions and writing social stories. All pupils are supported by a highly skilled pastoral team.

They ensure that pupils learn strategies to self-regulate their behaviour and to cope with any issues that affect them. As a result, pupils' behaviour improves over time after joining the school.

Leaders have developed a comprehensive package of support to prepare pupils for adulthood.

Most pupils go on to further education, employment or training. Pupils experience a range of opportunities to learn how to keep themselves healthy. Pupils enjoy preparing and cooking balanced, nutritious meals and listening to professionals from external agencies about how to keep safe.

There is a well-developed personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. However, some teachers have not been trained to deliver the curriculum as leaders intend. This limits the subject knowledge and expertise of staff to teach the PSHE curriculum.

Improving pupils' attendance is a priority for leaders. They know and understand why some pupils do not attend as regularly as they should. The school has a range of bespoke strategies to help pupils and their families improve attendance.

This ranges from vocational support to daily mentoring sessions with pupils each day. As a result, attendance rates are improving. There has been a significant improvement in attendance for some pupils who are persistently absent.

Governors are kept informed of the school's improvements through frequent meetings and monitoring. Staff say that leaders listen to them. They feel supported by leaders to look after their physical and mental well-being.

Leaders support staff to prioritise their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that staff have the expertise to teach the phonics programme with precision or address gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge.

Pupils do not read often enough. This hinders pupils' reading development. The school should ensure that staff receive the training and development they need to teach phonics effectively.

• Staff have not accessed relevant, high-quality training to teach the ambitious and well-developed PSHE curriculum. This limits their subject knowledge and expertise to maximise the learning offer for pupils. The school should ensure that all staff receive high-quality training in PSHE to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need.

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