Pegasus School

Inspection of Pegasus School Main Street, Cauldwell, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6RS

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pegasus School transforms pupils’ lives. Pupils are nurtured and cared for exceptionally well. They feel safe and know that staff understand them. Pupils show determination in overcoming difficulties. Staff and pupils live out the school’s values to ‘be safe, be a good friend, be yourself and be happy’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is passionate and ambitious for all to succeed. It sets high expectations of pupils’ learning. These expectations are met consistently. Pupils make small steps that are significant gains in their learning. Pupils’ successes are praised and celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ attendance improves significantly during their time at the school, especially when considering their low or non-attendance in their previous schools. They love the school. Staff are particularly skilled in helping pupils understand their emotions and how to self-regulate their behaviour. Pupils’ behaviours and attitudes improve markedly over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the school’s extensive outdoor spaces, including the woodland area. The range of facilities is excellent. Pupils adore having the animals on site. Bolt, one of the goats, is much liked.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers have very positive views of the school. One parent, echoing the views of others, commented, ‘The staff are beautifully attuned to my child’s needs and have found creative, personalised ways to engage them and make progress.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a place of joy and happiness.

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better?

The school is aspirational for all pupils. It puts pupils’ interests first. All members of the school community share a common mission and purpose to provide the very best opportunities and life chances for pupils. Leaders lead with passion, sensitivity, determination and a robust moral purpose. Pupils are enabled to thrive.

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better?

The school has embedded a broad and highly ambitious curriculum that balances personal, academic, vocational and therapeutic-based learning excellently. The opportunities for pupils’ personal development and communication skills are exceptional. They are threaded through and underpin all learning. Staff make the most of every opportunity to strengthen pupils’ communication skills as well as nurture their self-esteem. The curriculum is appropriately flexible to meet the learning needs of individual pupils, including those aged 16 years and above. Staff continually check pupils’ learning. They use assessment information to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and to determine their next steps. Pupils revisit and consolidate learning continually. They are appropriately challenged and build positive attitudes to work and learning. The school’s holistic approach enables pupils to succeed in many 17 to 19 June 2025

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better?

different ways. For example, pupils gain key knowledge, develop skills and gain qualifications that help prepare them for their next steps.

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better?

The school identifies and meets the pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities exceptionally well. It integrates specialist therapeutic provisions with pupils’ personal development and learning skilfully. The school is adept in its ability to adapt the curriculum and teaching to enable all pupils to learn very well. For example, the school uses a range of targeted resources and tools to enable some pupils to express themselves.

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better?

The school has rightly prioritised pupils’ speaking, listening, communication and reading. The school is highly effective in addressing the barriers and challenges that pupils experience. It enables pupils to communicate in different ways successfully. The love of stories, books, rhymes and songs is nurtured. Pupils who are at an early stage of reading learn to read fluently. They learn to recognise letters and sounds and use this phonics knowledge to blend and sound words. Pupils who are at a pre- phonics stage are supported to develop their communication skills very well.

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better?

The school helps pupils understand their emotions. It enables pupils to manage their feelings and behaviours. Staff help pupils to use effective ways to regulate their behaviours. The school uses effective routines consistently. As a result, pupils know what is expected and are helped to meet the school’s high expectations of behaviour.

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better?

Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the school’s provision. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum is extensive and well thought through. Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles and relationships. They learn to understand risk and how to be safe. Pupils have opportunities to deepen their understanding of right and wrong. The school enables pupils to understand key values, including respecting different cultures and religions. Opportunities for pupils’ personal development are highly impressive.

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better?

The school provides pupils with exceptional opportunities to ignite and develop their interests and talents. For example, pupils are inspired and learn to play the drums passionately. Others gain an enthusiasm for gardening or caring for animals. Pupils benefit from coherently planned opportunities to enrich their lives. They have their horizons broadened and their eyes opened to new possibilities. They are nurtured to become more self-aware, confident, resilient and independent. The school provides thoughtful careers guidance. Understanding the world of work is made real through regular contact with different people and jobs in the community. Pupils are prepared exceptionally well for their next steps.

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better?

Overwhelmingly, staff are very positive about the school and its supportive team ethos. They are exceptionally proud to be part of the school. The school prioritises staff welfare and is mindful of their workload. Staff value the many training opportunities that enhance their teaching and pastoral care of pupils. 17 to 19 June 2025 Leaders, including the proprietor, have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and priorities for development. They regularly check the school’s provision accurately. They have highly effective systems in place to manage the school and consistently put pupils’ interests first. Leaders have a strong understanding of the independent school standards (the standards). The school’s complaints policy is implemented effectively. The premises are well maintained. Health and safety checks are undertaken regularly. Risk assessments reflect the school’s policy. Leaders ensure that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Policies

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better?

and key information are readily available on the school’s website. Leaders ensure that the school consistently and securely meets all of the standards.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 17 to 19 June 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Email address pegasus.info@senadgroup.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 to 17 March 2022 17 to 19 June 2025

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Information about this school

 Pegasus School is an independent special school that provides education for pupils with severe learning disabilities, autism and associated needs such as challenging behaviour and social difficulties. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school has requested two material changes since the previous standard inspection. In August 2023, the Department for Education (DfE) approved an extension of the school’s age range to include pupils aged seven to 19. The school received a material change inspection in February 2024. In April 2024, the DfE approved an increase in the school’s capacity to 32 pupils.  The school is based at Main Street, Cauldwell, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6RS.  The headteacher took up post in May 2023.  The school provides an integrated education programme for key stage 4 and post-16 students. There is no separate sixth-form provision.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders. They met with a range of staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the proprietor body and a company officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited sample lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They listened to pupils read.  Inspectors visited lessons in other subjects, including music, forest school and English. 17 to 19 June 2025  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors met with leaders; reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; reviewed safeguarding records; and considered the extent to which the

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Information about this inspection

school has created a positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors visited a student council meeting and spoke with pupils about various aspects of school life.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation. They reviewed a range of policies, including those related to health and safety, risk assessments, curriculum and complaints.  Inspectors considered the views expressed by parents who they met with and the free-text comments submitted on Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Chris Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Deirdre Duignan Ofsted Inspector 17 to 19 June 2025 to 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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