St Giles’ Spencer Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school Leadership and management are highly effective. Since his appointment in September 2015, the headteacher, supported by governors and leaders, has developed and significantly improved several areas of the school including pupils' behaviour and pupils' engagement in learning.

Teaching and assessment are highly effective. Teachers have excellent understanding of the individual pupils and excellent curriculum knowledge. This helps them to plan creative and bespoke learning for pupils.

Pupils make striking progress, throughout year groups and across the curriculum, considering the significant and complex range of special educational ne...eds and/or disabilities, because : of the high expectations, challenge and support from teachers and teaching assistants. Leaders have taken effective action to enhance the school's leadership capacity, developing leadership roles at a range of levels and securing opportunities for staff to share their practice more widely. This provides staff with valuable professional development and supports colleagues in other schools.

Leaders have high aspirations for their pupils. They know the school well and have, since the last inspection, consistently improved the provision the school makes for the pupils and the outcomes the pupils achieve. Consequently, very strong progress made by pupils has been improved.

The school is an orderly place to play and learn. The overall ethos and culture of the school encourages pupils to be independent. Teachers and support staff know each pupil very well and this enables them to support individuals well with their behaviour and to develop their independence.

The early years provision is outstanding. Children make very strong progress because : the teachers and teaching assistants know the children and the curriculum exceptionally well. They create a stimulating learning environment for the children in which they can learn and play effectively.

Senior leaders' improvement of middle leaders' and subject teams' evaluation of the quality of their practice is not fully developed. The quality of outdoor learning provision varies between classes.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The new headteacher took up post in September 2015. St Giles' School is a maintained special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. All pupils have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs.

There are 111 pupils aged between 4 and 11. A large majority of pupils are white British. A greater than average proportion of pupils are disadvantaged.

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