Ofsted tells school it needs to improve
AN INDEPENDENT special educations needs (SEN) school in Runcorn with fees of up to £43,317 a year has been told to improve by the watchdog.
Ofsted gave Hope Corner School and overall grading of “requires improvement” with “good” ratings in two out of four categories following an inspection in November with the report published this month.
Three issues were identified as having dragged its rating down.
These related to curriculum planning not identifying key knowledge to learn, “limited” opportunities to practise new learning in maths and English, and some staff inexperience in subject leader roles.
The school was graded “good” in the “behaviour and attitudes” and “personal development” categories, and as “requires improvement” in “quality of education” and “leadership and management”.
Ofsted said pupils “enjoy” attending Hope Corner because of the support from “caring
● Hope Corner School is based at Hope Corner Church on Clifton Road in Runcorn staff”, and that they “feel The school was last safe and are safe”, having inspected in 2018 when it developed “warm and was graded “good”. trusting relationship” with Following the publication adults in the school. of the report, Maria
Safeguarding was Houghton, Hope Corner “effective” and students School headteacher, welcomed felt the school was somewhere the areas of praise “everyone matters”. and said work was already
Ofsted said pupils had under way to improve access to a wide range of where needed. subjects and the chance to She said : “Our aim as a gain accredited qualifications school is to offer a positive in addition to activities experience for students, to “broaden their who have found it difficult horizons”. to fit into mainstream
The watchdog said the schools, that enables them school meets the independent to thrive and then move on school standards. to further education.
Hope Corner School is “Therefore we are very based at Hope Corner pleased that the opening Church on Clifton Road in paragraph of the report Runcorn and has three says, ‘Pupils enjoy attending pupils on roll and one Hope Corner School part-time pupil. because of the support they
It has a “Christian ethos” receive from caring staff.’ and caters for ages 14 to 17 “Pupils feel safe and years, with annual fees they are safe. from £37,000 to £46,317. “They have developed warm and trusting relationships with adults in the school.’ “We are also gratified the report recognised all pupils in recent times have gone on to study at local colleges.
“We expect our current students to do the same.
“This is despite the challenges we, like all schools, have faced through the pandemic.” She added: “We appreciate, of course, that we have work to do to plan the curriculum better and this is now well under way.
“Already, more time is being devoted to teaching English and maths.
“We have training planned for staff to enable them to lead their subjects more effectively.
“In September we engaged an experienced school improvement partner who has led and worked with many special schools, to advise the headteacher and he will support the improvements as part of the ongoing development of our school.
“The governors and leadership team are confident we will swiftly improve the areas that need to be improved and when Ofsted return, we will be judged to be a very strong school.”