St Joseph’s Specialist Trust

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school because: Students' achievement is outstanding and is improving year on year.

Students make rapid progress in all subjects and in their personal development, usually from low starting points. Teaching is typically outstanding and never less than good. Staff expect the best of the students and work hard to get them to achieve as much as possible.

Sometimes targets are not sharp enough, however. The behaviour and safety of students are outstanding. Students are thoughtful and respectful of each other, staff and visitors.

They develop excellent social and moral attitudes. By the end of Key Stage 4, students attain many nation...al qualifications, including at GCSE level, which celebrate their outstanding achievements. Post-16 is outstanding.

Last year's results showed all students moved on to college or training when they left the school. Students are happy being in school and say they feel safe, secure and well cared for. The curriculum is individual to each student and exciting.

The school's particular specialism in communication and interaction ensures teachers use a good mix of techniques to enable students to communicate their needs. Signs, signage, symbols and touch-screen are used very effectively by both adults and students. The school has an outstanding programme for promoting students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

As a result, students are highly respectful towards each other and members of the wider community. The headteacher is inspirational. She has established a particularly effective leadership team.

There has been a relentlessly successful drive to improve teaching by either improving or removing, weaker teachers. Governors are exceptionally well informed about the progress of students and the standards of teaching. They are passionate about providing the very best for the students and they contribute an excellent level of challenge and support to the school's leaders.

Information about this school

The school provides for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders and complex needs. The school has specialist status for communication and interaction and creative arts. There are more boys than girls.

All pupils have a statement of special educational needs. An above average number of pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding, given for pupils who are eligible for free school meals, who are in the care of the local authority or who are from service families. There are no pupils in the school from service families.

An average number of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and a small proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. The school has provision for Early Years Foundation Stage, although there were no pupils on roll at the time of the inspection. The school has residential provision which is registered under the Children's Home Regulations The school has a number of awards including enhanced Healthy Schools status, Autism accreditation, Specialist Schools Academy Trust United Kingdom Research Charter Mark, Arts Council Artsmark Gold Award and Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark.