Mabel Prichard School

Inspection of Mabel Prichard School Cuddesdon Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 6SB

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Alison Martin. This school is part of The Gallery Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Kay Willett MBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Scrivener. 4 and 5 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils here have complex and significant needs, some with life-limiting conditions. They flourish because of the precise and expert support they receive from adults at the school. Throughout the school day, including social times, there are warm and trusting relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils’ needs are known and well understood by staff. As pupils’ needs are so individual, the high ambitions the school has for them are personalised. Consequently, pupils meet the school’s expectations of how they will learn and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

By accessing a well-sequenced and ambitious communication curriculum, pupils become confident and independent communicators. They express their views and choices well through a range of low- and high-tech approaches and equipment. Pupils are able to inform adults about what they need. This helps pupils to stay regulated and calm. On rare occasions, pupils may become anxious or distressed. When this happens, they are supported skilfully by the staff that work with them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has made sure that all pupils access enriching and valuable experiences. An example of this is the well-matched and effective work placements the school has organised. This includes gaining valuable life and social skills experience, on site, in ‘Rosie’s Cafe’.

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

The school has crafted a curriculum based on ‘inclusive frameworks’. These frameworks have been created to match the special educational needs and/or disabilities of pupils. The school has set out the knowledge and skills that all pupils will learn at a stage- appropriate level. This means that all pupils, including those at the early years foundation or sixth-form stage, are accessing the same ambitious curriculum and can build knowledge coherently over time.

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

In most of the curriculum, knowledge has been further sequenced to help pupils achieve ambitious learning outcomes. In a small number of subjects, this sequencing is not yet finished. In these subjects, staff are not as clear about what they need to teach and in what order, and pupils are not learning as well as they could. Through most of the curriculum, pupils are achieving very well. Teachers put in place effective learning activities which align with the range of communication methods pupils use. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning. They use information from these checks to find out what extra support pupils need.

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

The school is ambitious that all pupils, including those with the most complex medical, physical and communication needs, will learn to read. All staff are expertly trained to teach phonics. Staff precisely spot when pupils have not secured intended phonics knowledge. They make rapid and effective changes to activities to ensure that all pupils learn to read well, which they do. 4 and 5 February 2025

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Staff have secure knowledge to provide the specialist medical care many pupils need. All pupils have a range of support plans, which set out the strategies and protocols to help them learn and to keep them safe. Staff follow these well and consistently meet pupils’ needs with precision and skill.

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Children in the early years learn to follow the school’s rules and routines. The expert use of approaches such as objects and sounds of reference are well implemented to help children recognise changes in activities throughout the day. These same strategies are seen all the way through the school, including in the sixth form. Therefore, all pupils are well prepared to manage transitions in the school day. The school has set up the optimum sensory and physical learning environment for all pupils. Consequently, through the school, pupils are regulated and able to access learning. Pupils are motivated and eager to learn. They demonstrate positive attitudes in all areas of the school.

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The personal development provision for pupils is exemplary. Every aspect of a pupil’s personal needs has been considered and mapped into the school’s curriculum. Staff check how well pupils are securing vital life and social skills. They put in place well-designed activities that help pupils build character and be ready for their next stage. Through the life skills and communication curriculum, pupils learn that they have choices and how to express them. They learn to be aware that others exist around them and how to show kindness and respect.

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Preparation for adulthood begins when children join the school. At the earliest stage, children learn to complete simple tasks independently. This moves on to more advanced activities for students in the sixth form, for example being able to respond to instructions from unfamiliar adults in a workplace setting. In addition to travel training, personal care, shopping and cooking, pupils learn the social interaction and problem-solving skills needed for independence. They are extremely well prepared for their next stage and adulthood.

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The school has made effective changes to the provision on offer since the last inspection. Leaders have built a motivated and well-skilled staff team. Staff are proud and happy to work at the school. They appreciate how much the school prioritises their well-being and workload. The board of trustees and the central trust team have worked well with the school to ensure that there is a high-quality provision in place.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not fully sequenced the curriculum in a small number of non-core subject areas. This means staff are not secure about what they are teaching in these areas, and pupils are not learning as well as they could through the entire curriculum. 4 and 5 February 2025

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The school should make sure that in all subjects, there is a progression of knowledge sequenced towards ambitious end points and that staff have the training they need to ensure pupils build coherent knowledge effectively over time.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 4 and 5 February 2025

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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form

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 September 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties, pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and pupils with autism. Many pupils have complex and significant medical needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  There have been some recent changes in the senior leadership team. A new headteacher was appointed to the school in January 2025.  The school operates across two sites. Children in early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are based at the primary site on Cuddesdon Way. Pupils in key stages 3 and 4 and students in the sixth form are based at the secondary site on Sandy Lane West. The two sites are approximately one mile apart. The primary and secondary buildings adjoin mainstream schools. 4 and 5 February 2025

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 The early years includes provision for two- and three-year-old children. At the time of the inspection, there were no two- or three-year-old children on roll.  The school currently makes use of two unregistered alternative provisions.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body, the chair of trustees and one other trustee. They also met with the CEO of the trust and director of education.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the placing local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, communicated with some pupils about their learning and looked at evidence of pupils’ learning.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also communicated with pupils, supported by staff.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluations of the

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Information about this inspection

school, their school improvement plan and minutes from governors’ meetings and trustee meetings.  The inspectors considered parents’ and carers’ responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.  The inspectors took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to the online staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 4 and 5 February 2025

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Inspection team

Nina Marabese, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christine Bulmer Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 February 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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