Hazel Court School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Hazel Court is a good and improving school. In combination, the headteacher and two assistant headteachers provide dynamic and skilful leadership. Staff morale is high and everyone is ambitious to ensure all pupils achieve well and are prepared for their future lives.

Teachers and support staff know pupils well. This knowledge is used to plan learning tasks that capture pupils' interests and challenge them to take new steps in learning. Pupils work on learning activities with increasing focus.

Developing pupils' communication skills and promoting their social and emotional development is at the heart of every activity and interaction. Opp...ortunities to practise life skills are maximised. Pupils achieve equally well in mathematics and English.

This represents good progress since the previous inspection when pupils were not making enough gains in their reading. Disadvantaged pupils and the most vulnerable receive support that enables them to progress as well as their peers. Positive relationships and feelings of safety are reflected in smiles and laughter as well as communicated through speech and sign.

Older students in the sixth form benefit from a curriculum that focuses strongly on the next steps in education or employment. They have many opportunities to apply learning in real-life situations. Older students are happy, behave well and develop social and independence skills.

Governors add strength to school leadership with individuals bringing relevant skill and expertise. Governors know what has improved well and what could improve further. They hold leaders firmly to account.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Opportunities to develop pupils' skills and knowledge are not maximised. Some parents do not feel well enough informed about their child's learning and progress. School improvement plans are limited and do not make sufficiently clear how proposed changes will benefit pupils.

Information about this school

Hazel Court provides education for pupils who have a range of special educational needs or disability including profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum conditions. Hazel Court is a special school, organised into two phases and situated on two school sites that are three and a half miles apart. The secondary department is co-located with The Causeway School.

The sixth form department is co-located with Sussex Downs College. Both phases are run by the same governing body and share the same headteacher. An assistant headteacher is based at each site.

No alternative provision is used. All pupils have an education, health and care plan or statements of special educational needs. Approximately one third of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional government funding for pupils in local authority care or eligible for free school meals.

Since the previous inspection, leadership arrangements have been changed. The senior leadership team now comprises a headteacher and two assistant headteachers, who were both appointed to these roles from other senior positions in the school. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and the significant majority are boys.

The school works in partnership with other local schools and alliances to improve teaching and learning. This includes the East Sussex Special School Alliance and Cuckmere House Teaching School. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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