Prospect House Specialist Support Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Prospect House provides an inspiring learning environment in which pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities flourish.

Pupils are extremely happy and safe. Leaders and staff have created a respectful and nurturing school, where everybody matters. Adults are incredibly ambitious for every pupil.

As a result of steely determination and a high-quality curriculum, every pupil excels.

On arrival, pupils are greeted by the warm smiles from the adults who eagerly await them. They are proud to attend their school.

The stimulating, yet calming, environment provided by staff supports pupils to feel protected in school. Well-established routines... give pupils confidence to go about their learning. They know that staff will support them when needed.

The school environment is a sanctuary in which pupils get the best opportunities to learn, grow and develop. The expectations of leaders and staff for pupils' behaviour are extraordinarily high. These expectations are pivotal in enabling pupils to learn.

Pupils respond extremely positively, and their conduct is exemplary.

Pupils understand what bullying is. Records show that leaders deal with bullying without delay.

Pupils are exceptionally respectful of one another.

Leaders' approach to pupils' wider personal development is excellent. Pupils have carefully organised opportunities to use the different therapeutic facilities in the school.

For example, pupils can visit the imagination room, or they can use the soft playroom to support their individual needs. These experiences develop pupils' wider skills perfectly.

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

Leaders' curriculum thinking, including in the early years, is underpinned by a thorough understanding of pupils' individual learning needs.

Leaders use their insight into, and knowledge of, each pupil's developmental needs to devise unique, well-crafted personalised curriculums. These curriculums are ambitious. They enable pupils to achieve the very best outcomes.

Each pupil's curriculum is seamlessly intertwined with their education, health and care (EHC) plan. This ensures that pupils build up a breadth of knowledge and skills over time. Leaders' assessment systems are deeply embedded, and staff utilise them with meticulous precision to check how well pupils are learning.

Across the school, teachers and other adults design learning activities that are fully tailored to pupils' needs. Staff, including those at the early stages of their careers, are very well trained to deliver all aspects of the curriculum. Staff skilfully use many communication strategies, devices and tools in lessons to enable pupils to participate fully in the curriculum.

For example, staff use voice output aids, as well as signing, to develop and extend pupils' communication skills.

A love of reading is highly visible throughout the school. The sharing of high-quality stories and books begins in the early years.

Leaders ensure that pupils are exposed to a wide and varied range of vocabulary. Reading has a high importance in the curriculum. For example, pupils have extensive opportunities to share their experiences of reading with parents and carers at home.

Teachers ensure that pupils learn to identify sounds in a systematic way. Sounds are matched to pupils' stage of development. The books that pupils read match closely the sounds they understand.

Texts are carefully chosen to support the topics that pupils study. Adults share stories with pupils by using the immersive environments in school, which brings stories to life for pupils.

Staff build exceptional relationships with pupils, based on mutual respect and understanding.

Pupils and staff care for each other. Pupils are motivated to learn, displaying strong levels of engagement. They show determination to succeed, even when they find learning tricky.

No learning is interrupted by other pupils because every staff member is skilled in supporting pupils' behaviour. The use of communication strategies and secure routines at social times ensure that pupils move around the school sensibly. They enjoy their time with their friends.

All pupils benefit from a vast range of wider learning experiences. For example, adults help pupils to work towards the residential trip. This starts with pupils staying in school before progressing on to an outdoor adventure residential.

Other experiences, such as having fish and chips at the seaside, or going to the local supermarket to buy a snack, contribute strongly to pupils' social and cultural development.

The planned experiences to support pupils' physical and mental health are exceptional. For example, pupils get the opportunity to experience carefully planned yoga.

Pupils are able to make meaningful contributions to their local community. For example, pupils learn about sustainability. They grow their own produce and cook the food on site before serving it to members of their local community.

Leaders support staff well. Adults work exceptionally well with leaders to form a united team. Leaders hold staff well-being in the highest esteem.

Trustees and governors know the school well. They hold leaders fully to account for pupils' performance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is integral to all that the school does. Staff are well trained in protecting the welfare and safety of pupils. They continue to receive ongoing safeguarding training and updates, which keeps their knowledge sharp.

Adults know pupils and their families very well. They are alert to risks and raise any concerns efficiently. Leaders work with a range of partners when required.

This helps pupils and families to receive the support they need.

Leaders prioritise pupils' understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their feelings and concerns to adults, which is central to keeping them safe.