Limington House School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Limington House School St Andrew’s Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 6PS

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Outcome

Limington House School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ lives are transformed by attending this school. This is a special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) school for pupils with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. Most pupils join here unable to engage alongside adults or other pupils in a group. As pupils move through the school, they develop the confidence and interaction skills to be part of a class. In doing so, they consistently meet the school’s high expectation and vision of ‘learning together we all achieve’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are non-verbal and join the school unable to communicate. They receive expert support to help them become independent communicators. Consequently, pupils are able to make choices and share their wishes and views in a way that works best for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils form trusting and positive relationships with the adults who support them. Pupils are known, cared for and nurtured. Staff understand pupils’ complex learning and medical needs extremely well. Pupils are happy at this school. They communicate that they feel safe and looked after. Staff create the optimum sensory environment for all pupils. This means that pupils are often well regulated. During rare periods of dysregulation, well- trained staff give highly effective care and support to pupils.

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

The school has created an ambitious and appropriately broad curriculum. The curriculum is personalised to meet the individual and complex needs of pupils. Pupils who access the semi-formal curriculum secure knowledge of early number. They also begin to learn the sounds and strategies needed to read. Pupils with more complex needs and those in the early years stage learn a well-sequenced pre-formal curriculum. This helps them to 29 and 30 April 2025

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develop vital communication and interaction skills needed to be ready for their next stage of learning.

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Staff are expert teachers of SEND. They skilfully support pupils to develop independence in how they communicate and make choices. They have secure knowledge of various communication systems and how to use them effectively with pupils. Staff consistently show their specialist knowledge of pupils’ individual SEND. By closely following and reviewing each pupil’s individual education plan, all staff meet the needs of pupils very well.

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In most classrooms, learning activities are well matched to pupils’ needs. The multi- sensory approach to learning for pupils with the most complex needs, and for children in the early years, is highly effective. However, some learning activities are not as helpful as they could be to support pupils to build their knowledge effectively. Leaders know this. They provide staff with coaching and support to improve their teaching.

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Pupils are learning to read effectively. Staff are well trained to spot how accurately pupils are learning sounds. Staff plan bespoke tasks that help pupils to learn the strategies they need to blend sounds and read words correctly. In the early years class, where children are at a pre-phonics stage, they are exposed to a range of sounds and songs that get them ready to learn how to read.

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Students in the sixth form are very well prepared for their next stage. The school has mapped out the life and communication and interaction skills that students in the sixth form need to be ready for adulthood. Staff deliver precise activities involving cookery, time and money management, travel training and self-care. Students complete these activities with confidence and skill.

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Pupils’ engagement and attention in lessons is exemplary. The school has identified what each pupil needs to feel safe and calm in the school. Staff have received expert sensory and behaviour training to support pupils. They use this specialist knowledge well to make sure that every area of the school precisely meets the sensory and physical needs of pupils. This proactive approach means that the school is consistently calm and purposeful.

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Pupils’ personal development is at the core of everything that happens in this school. The school has made sure that all pupils, regardless of need, access enriching and enjoyable experiences. Visits to the local church, theatres, shops and parks, and residential trips, help pupils to learn how to be part of their community. Whether performing as ‘Puck’ in a Shakespeare festival, or singing and signing in the Makaton choir, pupils show pride when they communicate and share these experiences.

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From Year 7 onwards, pupils learn about careers at an appropriate level. This begins with learning about the people who help them such as doctors, dentists and emergency services. As pupils enter Year 9, their preparation for adulthood is discussed with parents and professionals. Individual transition plans clearly set out what each pupil needs in order to achieve their ambitious outcomes. By the time students join the sixth form, they have been well prepared to access work-placed experiences. For some students, this may 29 and 30 April 2025

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look like serving and selling items in the school shop. Some students can practise their skills further by working in the local community cafe.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel valued and well supported. They appreciate the extensive training they receive. School leaders and governors are highly knowledgeable about the needs of the pupils in the school. They are passionate and committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, learning activities do not securely reflect the ambition of the school’s curriculum. Consequently, sometimes, pupils do not learn as well as they could through the entire curriculum. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge they need to plan precise and purposeful activities that will help pupils to build curriculum knowledge effectively.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the third ungraded inspection since we judged school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2012. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 December 2019, 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 and profound and multiple learning disabilities. All pupils have an educational, health and care plan.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team.  The lead inspector met with the chair and other members of the governing body.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, communicated with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also communicated with pupils in lessons and during play and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered a range of documents including leaders’ evaluations of the school, their school improvement plan, and minutes from governors’ meetings.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments.  Inspectors took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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Inspection team

Nina Marabese, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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