The Rowan School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive high-quality nurture and support. The school is aspirational for what pupils can accomplish.

There is a strong and genuine desire to ensure that pupils achieve the school's aim to 'build a secure foundation for learning and life'.

Pupils are exceptionally well cared for by highly skilled staff in a supportive environment. The ambitious curriculum has been thoughtfully designed around the needs of pupils.

Pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans are used effectively in order to inform their individual learning and support. Pupils attend well and achieve well. The school constantly strives to offer the very best for pupils.

This in...cludes close and effective work with specialist therapeutic professionals.

Pupils enjoy an extensive range of enrichment activities, such as swimming, cooking, musical performances and outdoor education activities. Pupils benefit from the school's many connections with external specialists and other schools within the local area.

Relationships are excellent. Staff quickly get to know pupils' different needs and requirements. Pupils develop their resilience and become increasingly independent.

They learn ways to recognise their emotions and develop strategies to manage their behaviour. They learn to communicate their needs and feelings. Pupils behave well, feel safe and have caring staff to turn to when they need help.

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

The curriculum is clearly set out across four different pathways. It is designed to grow pupils' knowledge and skills from the 'roots' to the 'leaves' pathways. It is broad and ambitious.

From the early years, content for different curriculum subjects has been carefully chosen. Learning is personalised to each pupils' stage of development. The school plans with precision to meet pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively.

Learning and support are linked well to pupils' EHC plans. Targets for pupils to achieve are broken down into small manageable steps. The school gains an in-depth knowledge of pupils.

Pupils are encouraged to do well. Those with high anxiety and sensory needs learn in a way that is suitable for them. Staff are excellent role models for pupils.

They promote respectful relationships and positive interactions with others.

There is necessary focus on the development of pupils' communication and language skills. The school continues to work in partnership with speech and language therapists.

Changes to the way pupils are taught to communicate are having an increasingly positive impact. The school is proficient in teaching pupils to use signing, pictures and 'core board' symbols to communicate effectively. Some pupils use digital devices at home and in school with growing independence.

Reading is prioritised. Phonics is taught well from the early years and 'roots' pathway. The school makes suitable adaptations.

Staff provide extra support for pupils to access the phonics programme and gain the knowledge and skills they need to become fluent and confident readers. Curriculum topics foster a love of reading. Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy listening to stories.

Staff are skilled in delivering sensory stories. For example, pupils particularly enjoy rattling the skeleton and making the 'mouse' squeak in the story of 'The Hairy Scary Castle'.

Currently, the school's checking of pupils' learning in some curriculum subjects is not as precise as it should be.

The school is in the process of making necessary improvements to ensure that teachers have a secure understanding of pupils' learning in all curriculum subjects.

Pupils' personal development is at the very centre of everything the school does. All at the school have a passionate ambition for pupils to be involved and included in their local and wider community.

For example, the school's work with a national charity, focusing on improving pupils' life chances and promoting inclusion, has provided an admirable extension of opportunities for pupils, including a recent visit to learn about the work of a local hospital.

Pupils enjoy caring for the school's allotment. They take part in different sports.

They visit the theatre and enjoy whole-school trips. They relish drinking hot chocolate around a campfire in the school's own woods. Pupils learn about online safety, fundamental British values and different relationships.

Whole-school events and visitors to school help pupils to develop respect for different cultures and to appreciate diversity.

The governing body provides excellent support and challenge to the school. Governors know the school very well.

Leaders at all levels continually seek ways to improve. They act as advocates for pupils with SEND not just at this school but more widely for the Sheffield SEND community. This includes through the school's outreach work with other schools.

Staff benefit from high-quality professional development. They appreciate the consideration they receive for their workload and well-being. They are proud to work at the school.

Most parents and carers typically praise the 'huge difference' the school has made to their children's lives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school is in the process of redeveloping the school's assessment system.

In some curriculum subjects, assessment is not aligned well to the knowledge and skills that pupils learn. Teachers cannot be sure that pupils are knowing more and remembering more of the curriculum in these subjects. The school should ensure that assessment checks precisely what pupils learn of the curriculum and that teachers can use this information effectively in order to inform teaching.