Wyre Forest School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this school are happy. The school's vision, 'We Foster Success', is at the heart of everything they do. Pupils succeed in many ways.

This includes riding a bike for the first time, using communication aids to ask for a snack at breaktime and successfully applying for a college place.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils help and respect each other.

Relationships between staff and pupils are exceptional. Staff go the extra mile to care for the pupils. For example, staff give up their time willingly to run holiday clubs throughout the year.

Bullying is rare. If pupils are unkind to each other the staff deal with it quickly.

Pupils ...enjoy the different activities available to them.

These include the sign-along choir, swimming at the local leisure centre and horse riding.

Teachers want all pupils to be the best they can. They enter them for a range of qualifications.

As a result, pupils achieve to the best of their ability. They also help them to become more independent. For example, students in the sixth form value the chance to take on roles in the school, such as fridge monitor and helping in class with younger pupils.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the subjects that pupils study. They think about how they can prepare pupils for adult life. This means getting the qualifications they need.

It also means giving them the life skills to be independent.

The curriculum in early years is well designed. Teachers' planning effectively meets children's specific needs.

Staff know the children well. Strong relationships mean that children settle quickly and are ready to learn. The school has good relationships with parents and carers.

Leaders organise sessions for groups of parents so that they can share their parenting experience and support each other. However, the learning environment in the Reception classes is not as appealing as the rest of the school. The sensory room and parts of the outdoor area do not support learning as well as they might.

Leaders understand the importance of pupils being able to read. Staff are well trained and supported by leaders to deliver effective programmes. The teaching of reading starts in early years and continues throughout the school.

As a result, pupils are developing a love of reading. They enjoy choosing books from the library.

Developing communication skills is a strength of the school.

Appropriate resources are used well. These include the use of a range of communication aids that are closely matched to pupils' needs. Every chance is used to develop pupils' communication.

For example, pupils use their communication aids at lunchtime to let the supervisors know what they would like to eat.

In subjects such as English, mathematics and personal, social, health, careers and economic (PSHCE) education, teachers plan the work well. Topics are planned in a way to help pupils know more and remember more.

However, in the creative curriculum, planning is not as effective. The knowledge and skills leaders want pupils to learn is not yet clear nor planned for in a logical way.

The sixth-form provision is exceptional.

Students are highly successful. Almost all go on to appropriate provision. This includes college or an apprenticeship.

The pathways offered to students are carefully planned to meet an individual's needs. Students value the support they get. One student spoke about how staff had given him the confidence to apply to college.

Two years ago, this would not have been possible. The development of employability skills is given high priority. Students enjoy the chance to work in the café in the local park or on the school's allotment.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional. Strong relationships between adults and pupils support this. The PSHCE education curriculum teaches pupils how to be thoughtful and kind to each other.

Staff helps pupils to manage their own behaviour. As a result, there is very little learning time lost.

Pupils are well prepared for their future.

The careers programme is well led. Pupils have many opportunities through the curriculum and beyond, to think about what they want to do when they leave school. This includes trips to local skills shows and employers coming into school to lead workshops.

For example, key stage 3 pupils worked with staff from a fast-food chain to make takeaway food boxes.

Pupils learn how to stay healthy. Additional funding has been used well to improve the outdoor facilities such as the bike track.

As a result, 24 pupils have recently been awarded a Bikeability certificate.

The governing body is ambitious for the school and for what the pupils can achieve. They play an active role in the school.

For example, the link governor for safeguarding regularly attends the weekly safeguarding meeting. This is to offer support and to check that the school supports the most vulnerable pupils effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff take pupils' welfare seriously. They report any concerns immediately. Staff are confident that leaders will take the right action.

Staff are trained in the risks that pupils face. These include those related to e-safety and child sexual exploitation. In PSHCE education lessons pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe.

They talk confidently about how to stay safe in relationships. Pupils say that they feel safe.Leaders work well with external agencies.

This includes the police. Leaders ensure that pupils and families get extra help when they need it. Parents value this.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The creative curriculum is not as coherently planned and sequenced as it is in other subjects. Consequently, pupils do not do as well as they could in this area of the curriculum. Senior leaders need to support phase leaders to develop this aspect of the curriculum to ensure that pupils cumulatively develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning.

Leaders need to support teachers with its implementation.The environment in the Reception classes does not support learning as well as it might. Leaders need to monitor the quality of the environment in Reception to ensure that it matches the high quality of provision found in the rest of the school.