Red Gates School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to become the very best version of themselves. Individuality and diversity are celebrated. Pupils and staff are part of a thriving and cohesive team.

Pupils enjoy coming here and parents and carers strongly recommend the school.

The curriculum and the way it is delivered are highly ambitious and carefully adapted for the individual needs of the pupils. Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects.

They take part in lessons which are well matched to their needs. As a result, pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

Behaviour is very positive.

Pupils are kind. I...nside and outside of lessons, pupils engage constructively with the whole school community. The school is constantly working to continue to improve the attendance of pupils because it knows the importance of them coming to school each day.

Pupils feel safe and are kept safe at the school.

Pupils thrive here. There is a strong personal development offer at the school.

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs that are closely matched to their interests. Pupils speak positively about the opportunities available to them, including their interactions with the school therapy dog and the educational visits. Leaders also make sure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

The school curriculum is broad and ambitious. It helps to prepare pupils exceptionally well for the next stage of their education.

Communication and reading sit at the heart of the curriculum.

Through a well-planned and implemented phonics programme, the school provides excellent support to pupils with learning to read. Staff use careful checks of pupils' learning to quickly identify any gaps in their knowledge. Teachers then put in place appropriately targeted extra help for pupils who need it to catch up.

Staff get the training that they need to teach well and support pupils effectively. Pupils say that they enjoy reading.

The school places great emphasis on supporting pupils to develop their communication in different day-to-day situations and contexts.

There is a strong school-wide approach to communication that centres around both talking and the use of signs, photos and symbols. These communication approaches enable pupils' voices to be heard and their views to be taken into account. For instance, pupils are able to comment on learning, ask questions and discuss their feelings.

The school works with experts and other agencies to ensure that its approaches to promoting pupils' communication are successful.

There is a clear plan for learning for all from the start of the Reception Year. Leaders have consulted with their wider stakeholders to ensure that the curriculum fully meets the needs of the children that attend.

The curriculum is rich and coherent and encompasses all areas of learning. The knowledge and skills that children in the early years learn increases with complexity as they progress through the year. For example, in expressive arts and design, children begin by exploring basic actions, such as rolling, squeezing, shaking and then practise what they have learned through a range of art activities.

Teachers make the right adaptations to support the interests and needs of children and ensure that they learn very well.

Staff use assessment expertly to check that the curriculum is having the intended impact on how well pupils learn. Through these checks, teachers identify when further support is needed.

They then put successful adaptations in place to support pupils' learning of the curriculum and their overall development.

Children's needs are carefully identified when they join the school and then throughout the Reception Year. As a result, appropriate learning is put in place to support their development.

From Year 1, pupils follow one of three different learning pathways. All curriculum pathways are ambitious and follow the same core themes. These pathways are planned and taught in a way that supports pupils to learn exceptionally well and be ready for the next stage of their education.

Behaviour in the school strongly supports learning. In a large part, this is because leaders and staff know the pupils very well. The school uses a range of effective strategies to help pupils to manage their behaviour and, therefore, successfully focus on and enjoy their learning.

Leaders want to make sure that pupils are able to attend school every day. They know that pupils' attendance at school is both critical to their learning and their safeguarding. The school works closely and sensitively with parents and with external partners to promote high attendance.

For example, staff have worked with individual pupils to help them to overcome phobias of wearing seatbelts.

Supporting the personal development of pupils runs throughout all that happens at the school. Pupils enjoy taking part in community events and local festivals, such as singing carols at the nearby shopping centre.

The school offers pupils a wide range of clubs. These are well attended and help to further develop pupils' character. Pupils especially appreciate the opportunity to take part in activities involving gardening and horse riding.

Pupils have adults that they can talk to if they have worries. They learn how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

Staff appreciate the work that leaders do to develop them professionally and support their well-being.

The governing body has developed extensively since the last inspection. It provides strong support and guidance to the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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