Linwood School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Linwood school pupils, including children in the early years and sixth-form students, are happy, safe and nurtured with care. The school has very high aspirations for pupils to succeed.

Across the different campuses, pupils are enabled and supported to learn extremely well. Consequently, they are very well prepared for their next steps.

Through the carefully constructed curriculum, pupils engage with learning a range of skills.

The staff evaluate each pupil's learning needs with expertise. This results in highly bespoke approaches to the development of each pupil. For example, some pupils learn how to travel across the city by bus, while others study GCSEs... in English and mathematics.

This highly personalised approach to learning enables each pupil to flourish.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is exceptional. Children in the early years learn the routines of school very well.

Sixth-form students manage their independent learning with maturity.

Through very strong relationships with staff and each other, pupils learn the importance of friendship, kindness and consent. Throughout the curriculum, pupils learn and practise the concepts of individual liberty and democracy.

They have many opportunities to communicate their ideas about the subjects they study.

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

The school places the social, emotional, physical and academic needs of each pupil at the heart of everything it does. The school's high expectations for each pupil to be a confident, well-rounded individual is evident across the curriculum.

Staff continually check what pupils know and do not know to ensure that they build on their prior knowledge. The focus on communication is suitably broad and underpins pupils' learning in all areas. Staff expertly develop and support pupils' ability to articulate their views about the world around them.

In the early years, children are immersed in a language-rich environment. Children learn to listen and engage with stories extremely well. In the sixth form, students voice their ideas about texts with impressive insight.

Pupils are supported to understand the world around them through social stories.

Reading is prioritised in all areas of the curriculum. The early reading programme enables pupils to develop a range of reading skills.

Staff are meticulous in ensuring that each pupil reads and understands progressively more complex language. For example, sixth-form students were observed knowledgeably identifying the language of opinion in a text. Dependent on the needs of pupils, they receive highly bespoke support.

Pupils, including pupils who struggle, learn to read very well.

The school is a calm, harmonious learning environment in which pupils thrive. Through robust, personalised approaches, the school enables pupils, including children in the early years and sixth-form students, to regulate their emotional responses to the world around them.

The strong relationships with staff and the expertly designed curriculum support pupils' engagement with learning. The school successfully manages issues regarding attendance through bespoke approaches.

Sixth-form students are extremely positive about the opportunities to develop work-based learning.

Through an impressive programme, students develop progressively stronger knowledge of different work environments. For example, students experience work in a supermarket, a hotel and a crafts shop as well as a range of other places. Across the school, from the early years, pupils are very well prepared for their adult lives.

They learn to make food, tend to plants and sell them. They receive very strong guidance regarding careers, life skills and vocational opportunities. The school prepares pupils to lead meaningful, fruitful lives.

Pupils' personal development underpins the curriculum. The personal, social and health education programme is very well structured enabling pupils to learn about the world around them. Pupils, including sixth-form students, learn about the importance of healthy relationships.

Exploring and experiencing the world beyond school informs pupils' learning about a range of subjects. For example, pupils routinely visit the local parks and shops to practise their social skills and develop their knowledge of the community.

Leaders' vision is overwhelmingly shared by staff.

Leaders' expert knowledge of the range of pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) informs the continual development of the curriculum. Governors are very knowledgeable about the school and pose suitable scrutiny. Staff are very positive about the support for their workload and their well-being.

They are proud to work at the school and value the ongoing training programme which enhances their work. Parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the provision at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.