OFSTED report
Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, reporting directly to the British Government. Its aim is to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages.
To do this, Ofsted inspects the education in special schools every three years and the social care in the residential units every year. It reports on the quality and standard of the service they provide, rating them from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Outstanding’.
Summary of the Ofsted Reports – 2008 (Education) and 2009 (Social Care)
In May 2008 Ofsted carried out an inspection of the education at High Close and the school was described as ‘good with some outstanding features’. The inspection team commented ‘that the senior management team have ensured that there is continued development and improvement’.
The annual social care inspection was carried out on 30 April 2009 and identified High Close School as ‘an outstanding provider’. According to Ofsted, this judgement means that ‘your setting is exceptional and significant elements of your work are exemplary’.
The school was judged over the following criteria and was found to be ‘outstanding’ in every aspect:
- helping children to be healthy
- protecting children from harm or neglect
- helping them stay safe
- helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
- helping children make a positive contribution
- achieving economic well-being
- organisation.
Quotes from the Ofsted Report
The report made the following statements:
Standards in every outcome area are outstanding… The young people are unusually proud of their school and enjoy all it has to offer them.
Staff are encouraged to learn whatever may be necessary in order to be able to work in a constructive way with each young person. Individual support to young people is backed up by tremendous support for families.
Download the full Ofsted Education and Social Care Inspection Report 2008 (PDF).
Download the full Ofsted Care Standards Inspection report 2009 (PDF)
More information can also be found in the High Close School section of the Ofsted website.
