Special school judged good is praised for ambition

A special school in Wolverhampton has been praised for being "ambitious and caring" with staff having "a deep understanding of pupils", after being inspected by Ofsted.

Green Park School in Bilston provided a safe and calm environment and its work on improving pupils' communication was a strength, the watchdog said.

The school on Green Park Avenue prepared pupils for adulthood "effectively", with pupils having taken part in a "range of opportunities" beyond the classroom.

Ofsted said it was a so-called ungraded inspection, but the school was previously good for overall effectiveness.

Pupils behaved well, with a range of strategies to promote and reward positive behaviour, the watchdog stated this week, after the inspection in April.

Staff felt supported in their workload and there was "a committed and dedicated team behind every pupil".

The report also stated staff were well trained in using a range of communication methods and that a strong focus on communication helped those attending become more independent, Ofsted stated.

The personalised curriculum was "broad and ambitious", with the breadth of subjects and topics supporting "pupils' engagement and attention".

The curriculum was delivered consistently well, the watchdog said, and where relevant, technology was used effectively.

The careers programme was described as ambitious, and in the sixth form students had more opportunities to improve their independence, such as supporting meal preparation with the catering team.

Until September last year on a graded inspection, schools were given an overall effectiveness grade, and those that were previously handed out will still be visible on inspection reports.

Green Park School was judged to be good for its overall effectiveness before September 2024 and Ofsted inspected it to determine if effective action had been taken to maintain standards identified at a previous inspection in 2020.

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