St Bernard’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The dedicated and ambitious executive headteacher makes sure the school keeps moving forward. The drive for continual improvement is shared by senior and other leaders and this thread runs right through the school. Effective ways of checking teaching keeps it good and rapidly improving.

The school sets challenging targets for all pupils and an increasing number achieve them. Careful recording of pupils' progress shows this is improving all the time. Pupils' smiles when they arrive at school each morning show they feel safe and happy.

Parents agree with this wholeheartedly, one saying they would like to come to the school too, if... they could. Membership of the Lincolnshire Wolds Federation has opened up a whole new range of opportunities for pupils. Staff in the residential and education parts of the school work well together.

Behaviour in lessons is usually good and often outstanding. Staff are well trained and manage any difficult behaviour effectively and sensitively. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to practise things they have learnt on their own.

The sixth form is good and gives students a variety of useful experiences both within the federation and further afield. Governors know the school's strengths and areas for improvement, so they can support senior leaders well. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Very occasionally advice for staff to manage some pupils' very difficult behaviour has not been quite as clear as it could be.

The school must ensure that it meets the national minimum standard for residential special schools that has not been met.

Information about this school

St. Bernard's is a small special school for pupils with moderate, severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties and complex needs.

Some also have autism-spectrum disorders or social, emotional and behavioural problems. Every pupil has a statement of special educational needs. There is term-time residential provision available for pupils for four nights a week.

Currently two pupils attend. The school became part of the Lincolnshire Wolds Federation with the Horncastle St Lawrence School in September 2012.They share a newly formed governing body with an executive headteacher in overall charge of both schools.

There are two deputy headteachers within the federation, one in charge of each site. Pupils regularly visit the other federation school and some attend lessons at St Michael's Primary, Eastfields Infants and Monks Dyke Secondary Schools. Sixth formers may attend Boston, Lincoln, Grimsby or Linkage Colleges as well as 'SENSE' or 'Welfare to Work', plus a range of work experience links.

A higher-than-average number of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (extra funds for pupils known to be eligible for free school needs, looked after by the local authority or with a parent in the armed forces). The vast majority of pupils are White British and speak English as their first language. The school employs an outreach teacher for local mainstream schools and helps to assess pre-school children with special educational needs.