'Good' in all areas of provision at this Isle of Wight school (updated)

Ofsted inspectors have issued their latest report for the Island Learning Centre today (Monday.

The school provides education for pupils who are unable to maintain a place at a mainstream school. All pupils have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities.

Following an inspection in February, Ofsted have rated the school as ‘Good’ in all areas of provision.

Headteacher, Jackie Boxx, said she was delighted with the judgement following the centre’s first full inspection since it opened in September 2015.

Ms Boxx said,

“This is a well-deserved outcome for the hard work and student support given by the fantastic staff.
“The collaborative working with families and schools we are working hard to embed has also had a positive impact.
“We believe passionately that our young learners should have the same opportunities as their peers in mainstream education.
“We set the same levels of challenge and expectations and provide constant and precise support so our students reach their academic targets and make successful progression, either back to mainstream school or onward to post-16 education, training or employment.”

Chair of the centre’s management committee, Grainne Andrews, added,

“The Ofsted report is a testament to all of the hard work and commitment shown by the staff on behalf of their students.
“Our purpose has always been to strive to get the best outcomes for young people and the report confirms the centre is making that difference.”

Why the school is Good
Highlights from the report include:

The headteacher provides strong leadership. She has ensured that the school is a positive, purposeful and calm learning environment.
Leaders and staff successfully develop pupils’ self-esteem. As a result, pupils take pride in their work and in their well-kept school.
In most subjects and year groups, teachers ensure that learning is planned well.
Teachers use a range of strategies that help pupils succeed and make the right choices regarding their learning and behaviour.
Pupils make consistently good progress in most subjects. Effective support ensures that pupils who have complex needs or low starting points also make strong progress.
Pupils’ conduct around the school is good. Staff are skilled in ensuring that pupils’ individual behavioural needs are met well.
The management committee have a strong grasp of the school’s strengths and
weaknesses. They are ambitious for the school and its pupils.
Parents and carers value the work of the school. They particularly appreciate the
significant success it has in improving pupils’ attitudes to learning and supporting their wellbeing.
Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school. The school’s good-quality support helps them to settle quickly when they first join the school.
While pupils’ attendance is beginning to improve, it is too low. Leaders acknowledge that more needs to be achieved to raise pupils’ attendance further.
The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics, particularly for older pupils, is not as consistently strong as that of other subjects.
The most able pupils are not consistently challenged. As a result, these pupils do not achieve as well as they could.