Aurora Wilden View School

Inspection of Aurora Wilden View School Worcester Road, Torton, Kidderminster, West Midlands DY11 7RR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since opening, the school has established a welcoming environment, where pupils feel safe and flourish. Many pupils have had negative experiences of education before joining the school. This changes when pupils settle into Wilden View. Pupils are happy to be in a school that understands and meets their individual needs. They develop positive attitudes towards learning and are interested in their lessons. Pupils take pride in their work and achieve well, rising to the high expectations set by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships among pupils and staff are caring and respectful. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Once settled and feeling secure in school, pupils generally meet these expectations. They are polite and friendly to visitors. Pupils are inspired by staff, who model the school values of being caring, ambitious, collaborative, trusted and innovative. Pupils are proud to earn wristbands when they demonstrate these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an outstanding programme for their personal development. This is woven through school life and prepares them exceptionally well for their next steps. Pupils learn to understand their own and others’ needs, emotions and behaviour. They enjoy many trips and events that develop social skills and help them to become increasingly confident and resilient.

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better?

All school leaders, including the proprietor body, are determined to build a school that delivers the very best for all pupils, irrespective of their starting points or needs. The school has developed an ambitious and well-structured curriculum. It identifies the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn at each stage of their education.

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better?

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many pupils arrive at Wilden View with significant gaps in their learning due to the amount of schooling that they have missed. The school works successfully with families, therapy specialists and external professionals to engage pupils in school life and improve their attendance. Teachers identify pupils’ gaps in understanding when they join the school. They ensure that learning links closely to the targets in pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and create activities that are interesting. Classroom learning is enriched with special curriculum days and well-considered trips, many of which are chosen and planned by pupils. Pupils learn in small classes and they develop a sense of teamwork and belonging within their group. The school provides staff with extensive training. This helps them to understand the needs of pupils. When pupils struggle to manage their emotions, staff competently help them to refocus with the precise support that they need. However, there are occasions when the support that some pupils receive does not help them to access their learning. As a result, they do not learn as well as they could. 24 to 26 June 2025 Pupils’ reading is prioritised, and the school ensures pupils read widely across the curriculum. The school quickly identifies pupils who are at the early stages of reading. They learn phonics step by step and get the help they need to catch up.

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better?

Most pupils study many of the same texts as their peers in mainstream schools. For example, older pupils study a Shakespeare play. This helps them to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to study for qualifications at key stage 4.

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better?

The school expertly places pupils’ personal development at the centre of what it does. The attention to detail in this area is impressive. Pupils make supported choices about what areas of their interests they want to pursue each week in enrichment time. This gives pupils opportunities to develop their talents and this helps to build self-esteem and engender high ambition. The school supports pupils to be aspirational for their future. They receive clear and impartial careers guidance, which helps them to understand what steps they need to take in education, training or employment.

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better?

Pupils learn about healthy relationships and about keeping themselves physically and mentally healthy. They learn about their own mental health needs and those of others. As a result, pupils have an affinity and acceptance of different needs. This is evident in how self-aware and tolerant many pupils are of each other.

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better?

The school uses the cultural calendar to teach pupils about other cultures and lifestyles. Pupils enjoy discovering how life is different in other parts of the world. They consider different viewpoints, learning how to respect others’ opinions. Pupils learn about protected characteristics and why it is important to treat everyone fairly. The school knows that this is effective by the way students value and accept difference. Pupils behave well and are kind to each other. Older students develop a sense of responsibility by looking after younger pupils and through the school council.

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better?

Parents and carers speak with great enthusiasm about the school. They recognise and appreciate how the school has completely transformed their children’s educational experiences, allowing them to thrive. The school has established an environment where everyone is welcome and valued. As a result, staff are proud to work here. Leaders consider staff’s workload and take steps to ensure that it is manageable.

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better?

The proprietor and governors make regular focused checks on the work of the school. They have ensured that the school consistently and securely meets the independent school standards and complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. It maintains the school building and grounds to a high standard.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 to 26 June 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 On occasions, the support that pupils receive does not help them to access the learning. This means that they do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff benefit from opportunities to develop their expertise further to enable them to support pupils’ learning effectively.

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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. 24 to 26 June 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 150136 DfE registration number 885/6091

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School details

Inspection number 10342217 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Email address wildenviewschool@the-aurora-group.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 24 to 26 June 2025

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Information about this school

 The school opened in February 2024.  The school provides full time education for pupils between 5 and 19 with social, emotional and mental health needs. Some pupils have additional communication and behaviour needs associated with autism spectrum conditions. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The proprietor, Beechkeys Limited, is a subsidiary of The Aurora Group.  Some members of the governing body are also members of the proprietor body and/or senior leaders from The Aurora Group.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school is located at Worcester Road, Torton, Kidderminster, West Midlands DY11 7RR.

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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

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

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a schools’ education provision.  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.  The inspectors discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders.  The inspectors carried out deep dives these subjects: English, mathematics, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors also reviewed samples of pupils’ work from other subjects.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the proprietor body and with representatives of the governing body. 24 to 26 June 2025  The views of parents were gathered through discussions and through the online survey Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors met with staff and considered their views through the online staff survey.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their school life. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at social times.  The lead inspector toured the school site to gather evidence about compliance with the standards. Inspectors also reviewed a range of other documents and policies, including the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Corinne Biddell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank Ofsted Inspector 24 to 26 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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