Pond Meadow School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Highly ambitious leadership and the pursuit of excellence have resulted in excellent provision that enables pupils of all ages to make outstanding progress during their time at the school. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve exceptionally well in literacy, numeracy and in their personal development, acquiring good quality accredited qualifications.

Students in the sixth form make outstanding progress and benefit from a wide range of vocational opportunities that contribute to their very strong personal development. Teaching is outstanding, enabling pupils across the school to make excellent progress, particularly in communication, lit...eracy and numeracy and personal development. Teaching provides high quality challenges to all groups and makes excellent use of resources to engage pupils' interests and develop their skills.

The very strong focus on the use of communication aids ensures that all groups of pupils have a means to communicate, answer questions and make decisions. Behaviour is outstanding. Attendance has improved because pupils enjoy school very much and arrive eagerly each day.

Pupils say that they feel safe at school, and their parents overwhelmingly agree. The high quality range of learning opportunities, subjects and topics, along with some excellent specialist facilities, engage pupils very well, contributing to their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Very well organised therapies make an excellent contribution to pupils' care and welfare.

Leaders have built on the high quality of teaching noted at the time of the last inspection by providing regular training, rigorous monitoring and close links with local schools. Governors have improved their leadership and monitoring roles since the last inspection. They provide excellent support, guidance and challenge to leaders.

They ensure that there is sufficient funding to support all staff and to ensure that all pupils, including those who are eligible for additional funding, achieve equally as well as other pupils. The overall effectiveness of the sixth form is outstanding, preparing students extremely well for their futures.

Information about this school

The school caters for pupils of all ages from across Surrey.

The vast majority have a statement of special educational needs for their severe, multiple or profound learning difficulties. Around a third of pupils also have autism spectrum disorders. A very small minority also have visual and/or hearing impairment.

Most pupils are White British and a few pupils speak English as an additional language. There are far more boys on roll than girls. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for certain groups, including pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is below average.

The school has discrete provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage from the age of two and an assessment nursery for children who do not yet have a statement for their special educational needs. The sixth form has its own separate accommodation. Students have opportunities to undertake a wide range of accredited courses, such as Entry Level qualifications, and spend some of their time following vocational courses at the local Guildford College.