Southlands School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Southlands, pupils become increasingly confident, sociable individuals. This is because dedicated staff meet their needs and provide them with understanding, caring support.

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They study a curriculum that demands progressively more of them. Pupils learn in small groups, in which staff typically provide them with precise teaching and support. This helps many pupils to achieve well.

They learn to read with increased confidence and accuracy. Pupils enjoy the stories that adults read to them.

Pupils understand the school's high expectations of their behaviour.

Very many behav...e well. They become more independent, determined learners. Some pupils have complex behavioural needs.

Over time, they learn to better manage their behaviour. However, at times, some pupils still become agitated and need the guidance of skilled staff to regulate their behaviour. They do, however, rely less on adult support.

Pupils are safe at school. Pupils trust, and turn to, staff for guidance. Pupils receive high-quality pastoral support in 'The Hub'.

Pupils gain valuable experience of life in the community through visits to local shops, businesses and colleges. These activities help pupils to put into practice the communication and social skills they learn across the curriculum.

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

The school has an inclusive, open culture and high expectations of pupils and staff.

Skilled leaders have brought about many improvements since the previous inspection. The developing curriculum is underpinned by leaders' ambition that each pupil 'can be great', and develop the knowledge to make independent, positive decisions. All pupils leave the school with recognised qualifications.

Almost all continue in education after the age of 16.

The school assesses each pupil's needs and abilities on entry precisely. This information is shared with staff in pupils' one-page profiles.

These profiles are the starting points from which teachers tailor the curriculum to pupils' needs.

The school's focus on reading is paying off handsomely. Pupils at the earliest stages of reading learn to decode words using phonics strategies.

They learn to read with accuracy. Pupils read daily in 'learning to read' sessions. They speak with confidence about the texts they read.

Pupils' developing knowledge of popular authors is boosted in the daily sessions in which staff read to pupils.

The school has set out what pupils will learn in each subject. In the more established areas of the curriculum, teachers stick to the school's chosen approach to teaching.

Each lesson begins with a 'remember' session that reacquaints pupils with previous learning. Teachers then break new learning down into small pieces. Teachers know that pupils need plenty of repetition and practice to grasp what they study securely.

Teachers choose uncluttered resources that help pupils use and remember important information. These approaches are commonplace in most classes and subjects. They are not as firmly established in the few areas of the curriculum where leaders' work is ongoing.

Where this is the case, teaching strategies are not as precisely matched to some pupils' needs and these pupils' knowledge is not as secure.

Many pupils need expert support to develop positive learning habits. The improved curriculum and adults' well-judged guidance help pupils to engage with their studies.

Learning usually takes place in a productive, happy atmosphere.

The school provides well for pupils' personal development. Pupils are increasingly aware of their feelings, and those of others.

Pupils recognise and take steps to manage their emotions and conduct, for example by using purposeful 'mend-it, fix-it walks'. Pupils treat others with respect. They contribute to and benefit from the ethos of acceptance and fairness evident in the school.

Pupils receive well-thought-out careers guidance. The programme of vocational studies helps pupils to learn about potential career options. Pupils make realistically ambitious decisions about their futures.

Staff are proud to work at Southlands. They play their full part in improving the school. The scale of curriculum improvement initially demanded a lot of staff and their workload increased.

Leaders regularly seek staff opinion and have taken effective steps to ease the burden on staff, while maintaining the pace of school improvement.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' work to improve the quality of education is ongoing in a few areas of the curriculum. Some teaching is not well matched to pupils' needs, so their knowledge is not secure. The school should continue its work to set out exactly what pupils should learn and to make sure that the teachers deliver the curriculum well in all subjects.